In British music, a breve is a note that lasts twice as long as a semibreve. A semibreve is what American teachers call a whole note, so a breve is a double whole note: in 4/4 time that is eight beats, which is why you do not see it much in pop songs.

In British music在英式音樂裡，a breve is a notebreve是一種音符，that lasts twice as long as a semibreve長度是semibreve的兩倍。A semibreve isSemibreve就是 what American teachers call a whole note美國老師說的全音符，so a breve is a double whole note所以breve是雙倍的全音符：in 4/4 time that is eight beats在4/4拍裡就是八拍，which is why you do not see it much in pop songs這也是為什麼你在流行歌裡不太會看到它。

It is drawn as an open oval with a little line on each side. You meet it in older church music, or in pieces written in a slow, wide time.

It is drawn as an open oval它畫起來像一個中空的橢圓形，with a little line on each side兩側各有一條小線。You meet it你會遇到它，in older church music在比較古老的教堂音樂裡，or in pieces written in a slow, wide time或是在節奏緩慢、拍子寬廣的曲子裡。

Though actually the name comes from a word meaning “short.” In very old music the breve really was a short note; the even longer notes mostly died out, so this “short” note is now the longest one students still have to learn.

Though actually the name comes from不過其實這個名字來自 a word meaning "short."一個意思是「短」的字。In very old music在很古老的音樂裡，the breve really was a short notebreve真的是一個短音符；the even longer notes mostly died out後來更長的音符大多消失了，so this "short" note is now the longest one所以這個叫做「短」的音符，現在反而是最長的一個，students still have to learn是學生還得學的。

The same spelling is also used for a small mark over a vowel in some language books; that is a different thing, and this entry is only the music note.

The same spelling is also used for同樣的拼法也用來指 a small mark over a vowel母音上方的一個小符號，in some language books在一些語言書裡；that is a different thing那是不同的東西，and this entry is only the music note這個詞條只講音樂裡的這個音符。