A harmonium is a keyboard instrument that makes its sound with small metal tongues called reeds. Air is pushed past the reeds and they buzz; the sound is thin and slightly nasal, softer and less grand than a church organ.

A harmoniumharmonium is是 a keyboard instrument一種鍵盤樂器 that makes its sound with small metal tongues called reeds靠簧片（一種小小的金屬片）發出聲音。Air空氣 is pushed past the reeds吹過簧片 and they buzz讓它們振動；the sound聲音 is thin and slightly nasal又薄又有點鼻音，softer and less grand than a church organ比教堂管風琴柔和、也沒那麼氣派。

On the European kind you pump air with your feet on two pedals while your hands play, which means you must keep working the whole time or the sound dies away.

On the European kind歐洲那種harmonium you pump air with your feet on two pedals要用腳踩兩個踏板打氣 while your hands play同時用手彈奏，which means這表示 you must keep working the whole time你得一直不停地踩 or the sound dies away不然聲音就會慢慢消失。

It was very popular in the 1800s and early 1900s because it was far cheaper and smaller than a pipe organ, so small churches, chapels, schools and ordinary homes bought them. Then the piano and later the electric organ pushed it aside, and in the West it now feels like an old-fashioned instrument you meet in a village hall or a museum.

It它 was very popular非常受歡迎 in the 1800s and early 1900s在1800年代到1900年代初 because因為 it was far cheaper and smaller than a pipe organ它比管風琴便宜又小得多，so所以 small churches, chapels, schools and ordinary homes bought them小教堂、學校和一般家庭都會買。Then the piano and later the electric organ後來鋼琴、再來是電子風琴 pushed it aside把它擠掉了，and in the West在西方 it now feels like an old-fashioned instrument它現在感覺像是老式樂器 you meet in a village hall or a museum村里會堂或博物館裡才會遇到的。

In India it took a completely different road: there the harmonium sits on the floor, you pump the bellows with one hand and play with the other, and it is a living, everyday instrument in devotional singing and classical music. So if a student hears 'harmonium', which picture is right depends on where the speaker is.

In India在印度 it took a completely different road它走了完全不同的路：there the harmonium sits on the floorharmonium放在地板上，you pump the bellows with one hand一手拉風箱打氣 and play with the other一手彈奏，and it is a living, everyday instrument是活生生、天天在用的樂器 in devotional singing and classical music在宗教吟唱和古典音樂裡。So所以 if a student hears 'harmonium'學生聽到'harmonium'這個字時，which picture is right該想到哪一種畫面 depends on where the speaker is要看講話的人在哪裡。

Note the pipes: it does not really have organ pipes at all — it only looks and sounds a little like a small organ.

Note the pipes提醒一下管子的部分：it does not really have organ pipes at all它其實根本沒有管風琴那種管子——it only looks and sounds a little like a small organ只是外觀和聲音有點像小型的管風琴而已。