A zeppelin is a large airship — a long, rigid, cigar-shaped flying machine, filled with gas that is lighter than air, with a metal frame inside and engines and a cabin hanging underneath. It is not a balloon, because it has a hard skeleton and can be steered.

A zeppelin is a large airshipzeppelin 是一種大型飛船 — a long, rigid, cigar-shaped flying machine是一種細長、堅硬、雪茄形狀的飛行器, filled with gas that is lighter than air裡面充滿比空氣輕的氣體, with a metal frame inside and engines and a cabin hanging underneath內部有金屬骨架，下面掛著引擎和座艙。It is not a balloon它不是氣球, because it has a hard skeleton and can be steered因為它有堅硬的骨架，而且可以操控方向。

Germany built them, and in World War I they were used to bomb Britain, which is the use the dictionary line points at. But they were also passenger aircraft between the wars, carrying people across the Atlantic in real comfort — until the Hindenburg caught fire in 1937 and the whole industry ended almost overnight.

Germany built them德國建造了這些飛船, and in World War I they were used to bomb Britain在第一次世界大戰時被用來轟炸英國, which is the use the dictionary line points at這就是字典這行解釋所指的用途。But they were also passenger aircraft between the wars但在兩次大戰之間，它們也是載客的飛行器, carrying people across the Atlantic in real comfort讓人舒舒服服地飛越大西洋 — until the Hindenburg caught fire in 1937直到 1937 年興登堡號起火 and the whole industry ended almost overnight整個產業幾乎一夕之間就結束了。

So the word now carries a strong flavour of the past: of the 1910s-30s, of a future that did not happen. People use it that way on purpose, in history writing, in steampunk stories, in design.

So the word now carries a strong flavour of the past所以這個字現在帶著濃濃的懷舊味: of the 1910s-30s讓人想到 1910 到 30 年代, of a future that did not happen想到一個沒有實現的未來。People use it that way on purpose人們會刻意這樣使用它, in history writing, in steampunk stories, in design在歷史寫作、蒸汽龐克故事、設計作品裡。

In loose speech, any big airship may be called a zeppelin, even one built by another company — strictly speaking that is wrong, because Zeppelin was one firm, but almost nobody minds. You will also meet the name through the band Led Zeppelin, which is where many students see the word first.

In loose speech, any big airship may be called a zeppelin在口語裡，任何大型飛船都可能被叫做 zeppelin, even one built by another company即使是別家公司造的也一樣 — strictly speaking that is wrong嚴格來說這樣是不對的, because Zeppelin was one firm因為 Zeppelin 原本是一家公司的名字, but almost nobody minds但幾乎沒有人在意。You will also meet the name through the band Led Zeppelin你也會透過樂團 Led Zeppelin 碰到這個字, which is where many students see the word first很多學生第一次看到這個字就是從這裡。