Utilize means to use something — but with a particular flavour that plain 'use' does not always have: to make good, practical, or clever use of something, often something that was there all along and might otherwise be wasted. You utilize a skill you already have, waste heat from a factory, empty space under the stairs, the data a company already collected. That is the sense in which the word truly adds something.

Utilize means to use somethingUtilize意思是使用某個東西，but with a particular flavour that plain 'use' does not always have但帶有一種單純的『use』不一定有的味道：to make good, practical, or clever use of something也就是善加、實際地或聰明地利用某個東西，often something that was there all along and might otherwise be wasted通常是那種本來就在那裡、不然可能會被浪費掉的東西。You utilize a skill you already have你utilize自己已經有的技能，waste heat from a factory工廠裡的廢熱，empty space under the stairs樓梯下的空間，the data a company already collected公司已經收集到的資料。That is the sense in which the word truly adds something這就是這個字真的有加分作用的那個意義。

Honestly though, most of the time people write utilize simply because it sounds more serious than 'use', and in those sentences it adds nothing at all. 'We utilized a hammer' is not better English than 'we used a hammer'; it is worse, because it is heavier for no reason. English style guides have been telling writers this for a century, and it is good advice: if 'use' fits, use 'use'.

Honestly though不過老實說，most of the time people write utilize simply because it sounds more serious than 'use'大多時候大家寫utilize只是因為它聽起來比『use』更正式，and in those sentences it adds nothing at all而在那些句子裡它其實完全沒有加分。'We utilized a hammer' is not better English than 'we used a hammer'『We utilized a hammer』並不會比『we used a hammer』的英文更好；it is worse反而更差，because it is heavier for no reason因為它沒理由地更沉重、更笨拙。English style guides have been telling writers this for a century英語的寫作風格指南已經這樣告訴作者一百年了，and it is good advice而這是個好建議：if 'use' fits, use 'use'如果『use』夠用，就用『use』。

The word belongs in business reports, scientific papers, official documents and job applications. In conversation it can sound stiff, or even a little pompous, and some listeners will quietly think the speaker is trying to sound clever. Young people say it less than older office-trained speakers do.

The word belongs in business reports, scientific papers, official documents and job applications這個字適合出現在商業報告、科學論文、公文和求職信裡。In conversation it can sound stiff, or even a little pompous在口語對話裡它可能聽起來很生硬，甚至有點做作，and some listeners will quietly think the speaker is trying to sound clever而有些聽的人會暗自覺得說話的人是在故意裝聰明。Young people say it less than older office-trained speakers do年輕人講這個字的頻率比受過職場訓練的年長者要少。

British writers may spell it 'utilise'; Americans always write 'utilize'. It is a regular verb — utilize, utilized, utilizing — and it takes a direct object: you utilize something.

British writers may spell it 'utilise'英式寫法可能拼成『utilise』；Americans always write 'utilize'美式一律寫『utilize』。It is a regular verb這是個規則動詞——utilize, utilized, utilizingutilize、utilized、utilizing——and it takes a direct object而且後面要接受詞：you utilize something你utilize某個東西。