Zoology is the branch of science that deals with animals — their bodies, their behaviour, how they grow, how they are grouped into families, and how they live with each other and with their surroundings. It sits inside biology, the study of all living things, as the animal half; botany, the study of plants, is its partner.

Zoology is the branch of science that deals with animals動物學是研究動物的科學分支──their bodies, their behaviour, how they grow, how they are grouped into families牠們的身體、行為、成長方式、如何被分類成不同的科屬, and how they live with each other and with their surroundings以及牠們彼此之間、和環境之間怎麼相處。It sits inside biology它屬於生物學的一部分, the study of all living things生物學是研究所有生物的學問, as the animal half動物學就是研究動物的那一半; botany, the study of plants植物學則是研究植物的學問, is its partner是它的另一半。

You meet the word in two ways. First as a subject you can study: 'She's doing zoology at university', 'a zoology degree', 'the zoology department'. Second as a body of knowledge: 'what zoology tells us about memory in birds'.

You meet the word in two ways你會用兩種方式遇到這個字。First as a subject you can study第一種是當成一門可以修習的學科: 'She's doing zoology at university', 'a zoology degree', 'the zoology department'「她大學讀動物學」、「動物學學位」、「動物學系」。Second as a body of knowledge第二種是當成一套知識體系: 'what zoology tells us about memory in birds'「動物學告訴我們鳥類記憶的哪些事」。

It is a formal, academic word — in ordinary talk people say 'animal science' or just 'studying animals'.

It is a formal, academic word這是一個正式、學術性的字──in ordinary talk在日常對話裡 people say 'animal science' or just 'studying animals'人們會說「animal science」或直接說「研究動物」。

Worth knowing that in real universities the name is fading: many departments have been renamed 'biological sciences' or 'ecology and evolution', because modern research crosses the old animal/plant line. So a student today may study exactly what zoology means without the word ever appearing on their certificate.

Worth knowing值得知道的是 that in real universities the name is fading在實際的大學裡這個名稱正在淡出: many departments have been renamed許多系所已經改名為 'biological sciences' or 'ecology and evolution'「生物科學」或「生態與演化」, because modern research crosses the old animal/plant line因為現代研究已經跨越了以前動物／植物的界線。So a student today因此現在的學生 may study exactly what zoology means可能學的正是動物學的內容 without the word ever appearing on their certificate卻從沒有在證書上看到這個字。