A soft grey or greenish stone that feels smooth and slightly slippery when you rub it — a little like a bar of wet soap. That feeling is where the name comes from, and it is the fastest way to remember the word. Because it is soft, you can cut and carve it with simple tools, so it has been used for hundreds of years for small statues, bowls, seals, and ornaments. Inuit carvers in Canada are famous for it.

A soft grey or greenish stone一種軟軟的灰色或帶綠色的石頭， that feels smooth and slightly slippery摸起來滑滑的、有點溜手， when you rub it你搓它的時候， a little like a bar of wet soap有點像一塊濕肥皂。 That feeling is where the name comes from這種觸感就是這個名字的由來， and it is the fastest way to remember the word也是記住這個字最快的方法。 Because it is soft因為它很軟， you can cut and carve it with simple tools用簡單的工具就能切割雕刻， so it has been used for hundreds of years所以幾百年來一直被拿來用， for small statues, bowls, seals, and ornaments做小雕像、碗、印章和裝飾品。 Inuit carvers in Canada加拿大的因紐特（Inuit）雕刻師 are famous for it特別以此聞名。

It also holds heat well and does not crack, so people make cooking pots, oven shelves, fireplace parts, and kitchen counters from it.

It also holds heat well and does not crack它也很耐熱、不容易裂開， so people make所以人們拿它做 cooking pots, oven shelves, fireplace parts, and kitchen counters煮鍋、烤爐架、壁爐零件和廚房檯面。

The word is uncountable when you mean the material: 'carved from soapstone', 'a soapstone bowl'. You do not say 'a soapstone' about the material itself, though you can say 'a piece of soapstone'. The word is quiet and factual — no strong feeling attached to it — and you will meet it most in museums, craft shops, and articles about kitchens.

The word is uncountable when you mean the material指材質的時候這個字是不可數名詞： 'carved from soapstone'『carved from soapstone』（用皂石雕刻的）、 'a soapstone bowl'『a soapstone bowl』（一個皂石碗）。 You do not say 'a soapstone' about the material itself指材質本身時你不會說『a soapstone』， though you can say 'a piece of soapstone'不過你可以說『a piece of soapstone』（一塊皂石）。 The word is quiet and factual這個字很平靜、很寫實—— no strong feeling attached to it沒有附帶什麼強烈的感情—— and you will meet it most你最常會遇到它 in museums, craft shops, and articles about kitchens在博物館、工藝品店和講廚房的文章裡。