A waterway is water that boats can travel along — a river, a canal, a channel between islands. The key idea is not "water" but "road": a waterway is water thought of as a route.

A waterway is water that boats can travel along水道指的是船可以在上面通行的水域, a river, a canal, a channel between islands像是河流、運河，或是島與島之間的水道. The key idea is not "water" but "road"關鍵不在「水」，而在「路」, a waterway is water thought of as a route水道就是被當成一條路來看待的水

That is why a small stream in the mountains is not usually called a waterway, even though it is water flowing; nothing can travel on it. And why a canal is always a waterway, even though people dug it. If you can move a boat along it from one place to another, it is a waterway.

That is why a small stream in the mountains is not usually called a waterway這就是為什麼山裡的一條小溪通常不會被叫做水道, even though it is water flowing就算它確實是流動的水, nothing can travel on it也沒有東西能在上面通行. And why a canal is always a waterway這也是為什麼運河永遠都算是水道, even though people dug it儘管它是人挖出來的. If you can move a boat along it from one place to another如果你能讓船沿著它從一個地方移動到另一個地方, it is a waterway那它就是水道

You will meet it most often in a slightly official or written way of speaking — news reports, geography books, government rules. "Britain's inland waterways" means the country's rivers and canals taken together, as a network. Officials say "navigable waterway" (a waterway boats can actually use) and "inland waterway" (one inside a country, not the sea). In ordinary conversation, people just say the name: "We took a boat down the river." Nobody says "we took a boat down the waterway" about one particular river — the word likes the general, the plural, the system.

You will meet it most often in a slightly official or written way of speaking這個字最常出現在有點官方或書面的講法裡, news reports, geography books, government rules像是新聞報導、地理書、政府規章. "Britain's inland waterways" means the country's rivers and canals taken together「Britain's inland waterways（英國內陸水道）」指的是把這個國家的河流和運河全部加起來, as a network當成一個網絡來看. Officials say "navigable waterway" (a waterway boats can actually use)官方會說「navigable waterway」（船真的能用的水道）, and "inland waterway" (one inside a country, not the sea)以及「inland waterway」（在國家內部、不是海的水道）. In ordinary conversation, people just say the name日常對話裡，人們就直接講地名: "We took a boat down the river."像是「我們坐船順著這條河而下」. Nobody says "we took a boat down the waterway" about one particular river沒有人會對某一條特定的河說「we took a boat down the waterway」, the word likes the general, the plural, the system這個字喜歡的是泛稱、複數、整個系統

There is a second use worth knowing, because it is spreading. People who care about the environment now say "our waterways" to mean all the rivers, streams and lakes of a place, whether boats use them or not: "Farm chemicals are polluting our waterways." Strictly, that is a stretch of the word — a polluted little stream carries no boats. But it is very common now, and it sounds natural to most people, so you should not treat it as a mistake. Just notice that the older, tighter meaning is about travel and the newer, looser one is about water in the landscape.

There is a second use worth knowing有第二個用法值得知道, because it is spreading因為這個用法正在擴散. People who care about the environment now say "our waterways"關心環境的人現在會說「our waterways」, to mean all the rivers, streams and lakes of a place, whether boats use them or not用來泛指一個地方所有的河流、溪流和湖泊，不管船會不會用到, "Farm chemicals are polluting our waterways."像是「農業化學藥劑正在污染我們的水域」. Strictly, that is a stretch of the word嚴格來說，這是這個字的延伸用法, a polluted little stream carries no boats一條被污染的小溪根本沒有船能走. But it is very common now不過這種用法現在很普遍, and it sounds natural to most people對大多數人來說聽起來也很自然, so you should not treat it as a mistake所以不該把它當成錯誤. Just notice that the older, tighter meaning is about travel只要注意，比較舊、比較嚴格的意思是關於通行, and the newer, looser one is about water in the landscape而比較新、比較鬆散的意思，講的是地景裡的水