A thick, clear, slightly sticky jelly made from petroleum, rubbed on the skin to protect it or stop it drying out — on cracked lips, dry hands, a baby's bottom, a small cut, or a runner's feet to stop rubbing.

A thick, clear, slightly sticky jelly made from petroleum一種濃稠、透明、有點黏、由石油做成的凍狀物, rubbed on the skin擦在皮膚上 to protect it or stop it drying out用來保護皮膚或防止乾裂 — on cracked lips用在乾裂的嘴唇, dry hands乾燥的手, a baby's bottom寶寶的屁股, a small cut小傷口, or a runner's feet to stop rubbing或跑者的腳上防止摩擦。

Strictly it is a brand name, so careful writers use a capital V; but almost everyone now uses it as the ordinary word for the stuff, whatever brand is in the tub, in the same way people say Band-Aid or Xerox. The general name is 'petroleum jelly' or 'petrolatum', which is what you see on the label of cheaper versions.

Strictly it is a brand name嚴格來說這是一個品牌名，so所以 careful writers use a capital V講究的人會用大寫V; but但 almost everyone now uses it as the ordinary word for the stuff現在幾乎每個人都把它當成一般的字來講這種東西, whatever brand is in the tub不管罐子裡裝的是哪個牌子, in the same way people say Band-Aid or Xerox就跟大家講Band-Aid或Xerox一樣。The general name is通用的名稱是 'petroleum jelly' or 'petrolatum''petroleum jelly'或'petrolatum', which is what you see on the label of cheaper versions這也是比較便宜的版本標籤上會寫的字。

It is a mass noun: 'some Vaseline', 'a bit of Vaseline', never 'a Vaseline'. There is also an informal verb use — 'she vaselined her lips' — but it is uncommon and safest avoided in writing.

It is a mass noun這是不可數名詞：'some Vaseline''some Vaseline', 'a bit of Vaseline''a bit of Vaseline', never絕不說 'a Vaseline''a Vaseline'。There is also an informal verb use還有一個非正式的動詞用法——'she vaselined her lips''she vaselined her lips'——but但 it is uncommon and safest avoided in writing這種用法不常見，寫作時最好避免。

One more use worth knowing: photographers and film people talk about a 'Vaseline lens' or a shot 'smeared with Vaseline' to mean a soft, blurry, dreamy look, because that trick really was done by putting jelly on the lens.

One more use worth knowing還有一個值得知道的用法：photographers and film people talk about攝影師和電影人會講 a 'Vaseline lens''Vaseline lens', or a shot 'smeared with Vaseline'或一個鏡頭'smeared with Vaseline' to mean a soft, blurry, dreamy look意思是柔焦、模糊、夢幻的畫面感, because that trick really was done by putting jelly on the lens因為這個技巧真的是把凡士林塗在鏡頭上做出來的。