Menses is a formal, mostly doctor-and-textbook word for the blood that leaves the body during a period. Friends just say period.

Mensesmenses is a formal, mostly doctor-and-textbook word是個正式的字，主要出現在醫生和教科書裡 for the blood that leaves the body during a period指經期時離開身體的血。Friends朋友之間 just say period就直接說period。

The English word comes from Latin mensis, “month,” because the cycle is about a month long; menses was the Latin plural, “months.” The English word already looks plural.

The English word這個英文字 comes from Latin mensis, "month,"來自拉丁文mensis，意思是「月」 because the cycle is about a month long因為週期大約是一個月；mensesmenses was the Latin plural, "months."本來是拉丁文的複數形式，意思是「好幾個月」。The English word already looks plural這個英文字外表看起來就已經是複數了。

Some people say “her menses are late”; some treat it like a stretch of time, “during menses.” Both happen. It is not a rude word, but it is clinic language, not kitchen language.

Some people say有些人會說「"her menses are late"her menses are late（她的menses晚來了）」；some treat it like a stretch of time有些人把它當成一段時間，「"during menses."during menses（在menses期間）」。Both happen兩種說法都有人用。It is not a rude word它不是個粗俗的字，but it is clinic language, not kitchen language但它是診間用語，不是廚房用語。

Though actually, menses names the bleeding itself. The wider process — the days, the cramps, the tiredness — is menstruation. And the tidy school sentence “women have menses” is tidier than life: not every woman bleeds every month, and the cycle is not a perfect clock.

Though actually不過實際上，menses names the bleeding itselfmenses指的就是出血這件事本身。The wider process更大範圍的整個過程——the days, the cramps, the tiredness那些天數、經痛、疲累感——is menstruation則是menstruation。And the tidy school sentence而學校教的那句整整齊齊的「"women have menses"women have menses（女性有menses）」is tidier than life比現實整齊多了：not every woman bleeds every month不是每個女性每個月都會流血，and the cycle is not a perfect clock這個週期也不是一個完美的時鐘。

The word has nothing to do with men, men’s, or Mensa. That is only a look-alike.

The word這個字 has nothing to do with men, men's, or Mensa跟men、men's或Mensa完全沒有關係。That is only a look-alike那只是長得像而已。