Backtalk is a rude reply to someone who is telling you what to do — a child to a parent, a student to a teacher, a worker to a boss. The “back” here is the talking-back kind: you push the order back at the person instead of taking it.

Backtalk是 a rude reply一種無禮的回嘴, to someone who is telling you what to do對著叫你做事的人 — a child to a parent小孩對父母、a student to a teacher學生對老師、a worker to a boss員工對老闆。The “back” here這裡的「back」 is the talking-back kind是「頂回去」的意思：you push the order back at the person你把命令推回給那個人 instead of taking it而不是乖乖接受。

It is informal and disapproving. You will hear it more in American English; British speakers often say backchat for the same idea.

It is它 informal and disapproving口語又帶批評意味。You will hear it你會 more in American English在美式英文裡更常聽到它；British speakers英國人 often say backchat常說backchat for the same idea來指同樣的意思。

It can be a verb too, especially in American speech: “Don’t backtalk me.” The close cousin is the phrasal verb talk back.

It can be a verb too它也可以當動詞, especially in American speech尤其在美式口語裡：“Don’t backtalk me.”「別跟我backtalk」。The close cousin最接近的親戚 is the phrasal verb talk back是片語動詞talk back。

A normal question (“Why?”) is not automatically backtalk; the sting is in the tone — cheek, challenge, a refusal to be told. Though actually, what counts as backtalk depends on who is in charge: the same sentence can be honest curiosity at the dinner table and backtalk in a strict classroom.

A normal question普通的一句問話（"Why?"「為什麼？」） is not automatically backtalk不會自動算是backtalk；the sting刺人的地方 is in the tone在語氣裡 — cheek, challenge, a refusal to be told沒大沒小、挑釁、不服從。Though actually不過其實，what counts as backtalk什麼算backtalk depends on取決於 who is in charge誰是主導的人：the same sentence同一句話 can be honest curiosity可以是誠實的好奇 at the dinner table在飯桌上, and backtalk但在嚴格的教室裡 in a strict classroom就是backtalk。