The windowsill is the flat ledge along the bottom of a window, like a narrow shelf. Most windows have one inside and one outside.

The windowsill窗台 is the flat ledge along the bottom of a window是窗戶底部那塊平平的邊緣, like a narrow shelf像一個窄窄的架子Most windows大部分的窗戶 have one inside and one outside裡外各有一個

The inside one is where people put small plants, a cup of tea, a candle, a cat. The outside one slopes slightly downward on purpose, so rain runs off instead of soaking into the wall — that is what it was built for, though nobody thinks about it.

The inside one裡面那個 is where people put是人們放...的地方 small plants, a cup of tea, a candle, a cat小盆栽、一杯茶、一根蠟燭、一隻貓The outside one外面那個 slopes slightly downward on purpose故意做得稍微往下傾斜, so rain runs off instead of soaking into the wall好讓雨水流走而不會滲進牆裡 — that is what it was built for這就是它本來的用途, though nobody thinks about it只是沒有人會去想它

Because it is such an ordinary domestic thing, the word shows up constantly in stories and in daily talk: sitting on the windowsill, leaving keys on the windowsill, a plant dying on the windowsill because nobody watered it.

Because it is such an ordinary domestic thing因為這是這麼平常的家居小東西, the word shows up constantly in stories and in daily talk這個字常常出現在故事和日常對話裡: sitting on the windowsill, leaving keys on the windowsill, a plant dying on the windowsill because nobody watered it坐在窗台上、把鑰匙留在窗台上、盆栽因為沒人澆水而死在窗台上

You will also see it written as two words, 'window sill', and as 'window-sill'. All three are fine; one word is the most common now. In building work people also say just 'sill' — and a 'sill' can be the bottom part of a door frame too, so the 'window' half is doing real work in this word.

You will also see it written as two words你也會看到它寫成兩個字, 'window sill''window sill', and as 'window-sill'或是'window-sill'All three are fine三種都可以; one word is the most common now不過現在一個字連寫最常見In building work people also say just 'sill'在建築工作裡人們也會只說'sill' — and a 'sill' can be the bottom part of a door frame too而'sill'也可以指門框底部的那一段, so the 'window' half is doing real work in this word所以這個字裡的'window'其實是有作用的

In Taiwan, many flats have deep concrete windowsills wide enough to sit on, which is exactly the picture this word wants.

In Taiwan在台灣, many flats have deep concrete windowsills wide enough to sit on很多公寓的窗台是又深又寬的水泥台面，寬到可以坐上去, which is exactly the picture this word wants這正是這個字想呈現的畫面