A watermill is a mill driven by water. Moving water — a river or a stream — pushes a big wheel round, the wheel turns machinery inside the building, and the machinery does work. Most often the work was grinding grain into flour, but watermills also sawed wood, hammered iron and drove early factory machines.

A watermillWatermill 這個字 is a mill driven by water指的是靠水驅動的磨坊。Moving water -- a river or a stream流動的水——河流或溪流 pushes a big wheel round推動一個大水輪轉動， the wheel turns machinery inside the building水輪再帶動建築物裡面的機械， and the machinery does work機械就開始做工。Most often the work was grinding grain into flour最常見的工作是把穀物磨成麵粉， but watermills also sawed wood, hammered iron and drove early factory machines但水車磨坊也用來鋸木頭、打鐵，還有帶動早期工廠的機器。

The important thing for a learner: 'mill' is doing two jobs at once in this word. A mill is the machine that grinds, and a mill is also the building it stands in. So a watermill can be the wheel-and-machinery, or the whole stone building by the river. Usually people mean the building.

The important thing for a learner學習者要注意的重點： 'mill' is doing two jobs at once in this word'mill' 這個部分，在這個字裡同時做了兩件事。A mill is the machine that grindsmill 可以指磨東西的那台機械， and a mill is also the building it stands in也可以指機械所在的那棟建築。So a watermill can be the wheel-and-machinery所以 watermill 可以指水輪加機械那組裝置， or the whole stone building by the river也可以指河邊那整棟石造建築。Usually people mean the building通常大家講的是那棟建築。

The word points backwards in time. Watermills powered Europe and China for well over a thousand years, and then steam and electricity replaced them. Today most watermills are old buildings kept for visitors, or turned into houses and restaurants. So when you meet the word, expect history, the countryside and something picturesque.

The word points backwards in time這個字帶著一種指向過去的味道。Watermills powered Europe and China水車磨坊曾經是歐洲和中國的動力來源 for well over a thousand years用了超過一千年， and then steam and electricity replaced them後來被蒸汽和電力取代。Today most watermills are old buildings kept for visitors現在大部分水車磨坊都是留給遊客參觀的老建築， or turned into houses and restaurants或是改建成住宅和餐廳。So when you meet the word所以你遇到這個字的時候， expect history, the countryside and something picturesque可以預期它跟歷史、鄉間，還有如畫的風景有關。

It is not a modern industry word — for making electricity from water today, people say 'hydroelectric power' or 'a hydroelectric dam', not watermill.

It is not a modern industry word它不是一個現代工業用詞—— for making electricity from water today現在要說用水發電， people say 'hydroelectric power' or 'a hydroelectric dam'大家會說「hydroelectric power（水力發電）」或「a hydroelectric dam（水力發電水壩）」， not watermill不會說 watermill。

Compare it with its sister word 'windmill', which does the same job with wind instead of water. The pattern is clear once you see the pair.

Compare it with its sister word 'windmill'可以拿它跟姐妹詞 windmill（風車磨坊）比較， which does the same job with wind instead of waterwindmill 做的是同一件事，只是用風代替水。The pattern is clear once you see the pair把這兩個字放在一起看，規律就很清楚了。