A witch doctor is a person — almost always described as a man — believed to have magic powers, who is asked to cure sick people, take curses off them, or tell the future. English speakers use the word mainly about traditional healers in parts of Africa, and sometimes about similar figures elsewhere.

A witch doctor巫醫 is a person是一種人 almost always described as a man幾乎都被說成是男的 believed to have magic powers被認為擁有法力 who is asked to cure sick people人們會找他來治病 take curses off them替人解除詛咒 or tell the future或是預言未來 English speakers英語使用者 use the word mainly about traditional healers用這個字主要是在講傳統治療師 in parts of Africa在非洲的一些地方 and sometimes about similar figures elsewhere有時候也用來指其他地方類似的人物

Here is the important part, and it is the part dictionaries often say too quietly: this is an outsider's word. It came from British colonial times, and it carries the idea that what the person does is superstition, not real medicine or real religion. People who actually visit such healers do not call them witch doctors; they have their own words.

Here is the important part這裡有重要的一點 and it is the part dictionaries often say too quietly也是字典常常講得太輕描淡寫的一點 this is an outsider's word這是一個「外人」用的字 It它 came from British colonial times源自英國殖民時代 and it carries the idea而且帶著一種預設 that what the person does is superstition認為這個人做的事是迷信 not real medicine or real religion不是真正的醫學或宗教 People誰 who actually visit such healers真正去找這種治療師的人 do not call them witch doctors不會叫他們witch doctor they他們 have their own words有自己的說法

Careful writers today say 'traditional healer' or use the local name (in South Africa, for example, 'sangoma'). So you can meet this word in older books and films with no problem, but if you use it yourself about a real living person, you may sound rude, or as if you think their culture is silly.

Careful writers today今天謹慎的作者 say 'traditional healer'會說'traditional healer' or use the local name或用當地的名稱 in South Africa, for example比如在南非 'sangoma''sangoma' So you可以 can meet this word in older books and films在舊書和舊電影裡遇到這個字 with no problem沒有問題 but if you use it yourself但如果你自己拿來用 about a real living person指一個真實活著的人 you may sound rude你可能會顯得無禮 or as if you think their culture is silly或好像你覺得人家的文化很可笑

There is a second, jokey use in normal speech: people call a doctor a witch doctor when they think the treatment is nonsense. 'He went to some witch doctor who told him to drink vinegar.' That is a complaint about the doctor, not about Africa.

There is a second, jokey use在日常口語裡還有第二種、開玩笑的用法 in normal speech在日常口語裡 people call a doctor a witch doctor人們會把某個醫生叫做witch doctor when they think the treatment is nonsense當他們覺得那個治療根本是胡來 'He went to some witch doctor who told him to drink vinegar.''He went to some witch doctor who told him to drink vinegar.' That這句話 is a complaint about the doctor是在抱怨那個醫生 not about Africa不是在講非洲

Note also that 'witch doctor' does not mean a doctor who IS a witch, and does not mean someone who treats witches. The two words together name one job: a magic healer.

Note also另外要注意 that 'witch doctor''witch doctor' does not mean a doctor who IS a witch不是指一個本身是巫婆的醫生 and does not mean someone who treats witches也不是指專門治療巫婆的人 The two words together這兩個字合起來 name one job指的是同一種工作 a magic healer會法術的治療者