A British label for a film that people under 18 were not allowed to see, because of sex or violence in it. A certificate here means an official rating given to a film before cinemas may show it, and the X was the strictest one. It is used mostly in front of a noun — an X-certificate film, an X-certificate horror movie — and sometimes on its own as a name for the rating.

A British label一個英式的說法 for a film that people under 18 were not allowed to see用來指未滿18歲不准看的電影，because of sex or violence in it因為裡面有性或暴力內容。A certificate here means an official rating given to a film before cinemas may show it這裡的 certificate 是指電影在戲院上映前拿到的正式分級，and the X was the strictest one而 X 是其中最嚴格的一級。It is used mostly in front of a noun它大多用在名詞前面——an X-certificate film, an X-certificate horror movie「an X-certificate film」「an X-certificate horror movie」——and sometimes on its own as a name for the rating有時候也單獨當成這個分級的名稱來用。

The important thing for a learner is that this is history. Britain used the X certificate from 1951, when the age limit was 16, raised to 18 in 1970; in 1982 it was replaced by the rating simply called 18.

The important thing for a learner is that this is history對學習者來說重要的是，這已經是歷史了。Britain used the X certificate from 1951英國從1951年開始使用 X certificate 這個分級，when the age limit was 16當時的年齡限制是16歲，raised to 18 in 19701970年提高到18歲；in 1982 it was replaced by the rating simply called 181982年它被一個直接叫做「18」的分級取代。

So today a British person under about fifty may not use the phrase at all, and you will meet it in writing about old films, in film history, and in the speech of older people. It still carries a strong flavour: calling something X-certificate suggests not just adult but shocking, the sort of thing a parent would switch off.

So today a British person under about fifty may not use the phrase at all所以現在大概50歲以下的英國人可能完全不會用這個說法，and you will meet it in writing about old films, in film history, and in the speech of older people你會在講老電影的文章裡、電影史裡、和年長者的口語裡遇到它。It still carries a strong flavour它還是帶著強烈的意味：calling something X-certificate suggests not just adult but shocking稱一個東西 X-certificate 暗示的不只是「限制級」而是「令人震驚」，the sort of thing a parent would switch off是那種家長會直接關掉電視的東西。

People also stretch it away from films for a joke — an X-certificate photo, an X-certificate word — meaning simply too rude for children.

People also stretch it away from films for a joke人們也會開玩笑把它用到電影以外的地方——an X-certificate photo, an X-certificate word「an X-certificate photo（限制級照片）」「an X-certificate word（限制級的字眼）」——meaning simply too rude for children意思就是對小孩來說太粗俗了。