W.Va. is a written short form of West Virginia, one of the fifty states of the United States. You will see it in books, older newspapers, footnotes, and addresses on printed material — anywhere space is tight.

W.Va.W.Va. is a written short form of West Virginia是「West Virginia（西維吉尼亞州）」的書面簡寫, one of the fifty states of the United States它是美國五十州之一。You will see it你會在 in books, older newspapers, footnotes書籍、老報紙、註腳裡看到它, and addresses on printed material以及印刷品上的地址 — anywhere space is tight只要是空間有限的地方都會用。

It is written only; nobody says 'double-you-vee-ay' out loud. When you read it aloud, you read the full name: West Virginia.

It is written only這只是書面用法; nobody沒有人 says 'double-you-vee-ay' out loud會把它唸成「double-you-vee-ay」。When you read it aloud當你要唸出來時, you read the full name你唸的是全名: West VirginiaWest Virginia（西維吉尼亞州）。

The dots matter: this style keeps a full stop after each shortened part, W. for West and Va. for Virginia. Modern American addresses more often use the two-letter postal code WV instead, with no dots and both letters capital, because that is what the post office wants on an envelope. So the two forms split by job: WV on mail and in tables, W.Va. in running text and traditional publications.

The dots matter那些句點是有意義的: this style這種寫法 keeps a full stop after each shortened part每個縮寫的部分後面都加句點, W. for WestW.代表West, and Va. for VirginiaVa.代表Virginia。Modern American addresses現代美式地址 more often use the two-letter postal code WV instead比較常改用兩個字母的郵政代碼WV, with no dots and both letters capital不加句點、兩個字母都大寫, because因為 that is what the post office wants on an envelope這是郵局希望信封上呈現的格式。So所以 the two forms這兩種寫法 split by job依用途分工: WVWV on mail and in tables用在信件和表格上, W.Va.W.Va. in running text and traditional publications則用在一般文章和傳統出版品裡。

There is one point of confusion worth naming. West Virginia and Virginia are two separate states. West Virginia broke away during the American Civil War in 1863 because its western counties did not want to leave the Union. So W.Va. and Va. are not the same place, and neither one is part of the other.

There is one point of confusion有一點容易搞混, worth naming值得特別說明。West Virginia and VirginiaWest Virginia跟Virginia are two separate states是兩個不同的州。West VirginiaWest Virginia broke away脫離了維吉尼亞、獨立成一個州 during the American Civil War in 1863在1863年南北戰爭期間 because因為 its western counties它西邊那些郡 did not want to leave the Union不想跟著（維吉尼亞）一起脫離聯邦。So所以 W.Va. and Va.W.Va.跟Va. are not the same place不是同一個地方, and而且 neither one is part of the other誰也不是誰的一部分。

West Virginia is a small, mountainous, historically coal-mining state; Virginia is bigger, on the coast, and includes the suburbs of Washington DC. Getting these two mixed up is a common mistake even for Americans who live far away.

West VirginiaWest Virginia is a small, mountainous, historically coal-mining state是一個面積小、多山、歷史上以採煤為主的州; VirginiaVirginia is bigger則比較大, on the coast位在海岸邊, and而且 includes the suburbs of Washington DC還包含華盛頓特區的郊區。Getting these two mixed up把這兩個搞混 is a common mistake是很常見的錯誤 even for Americans who live far away就連住得比較遠的美國人也一樣。