A waterwheel is a big wheel with flat boards or buckets around its edge. Running water pushes against them, the wheel turns, and that turning drives a machine — most famously the heavy stones inside a mill that grind wheat into flour. This is one of the oldest machines people have: water does the work that a person or an animal would otherwise have to do.

A waterwheel水車 is是 a big wheel一個大輪子， with flat boards or buckets around its edge.邊緣裝著平板或水斗。 Running water流動的水 pushes against them,推著它們， the wheel turns,輪子就轉動， and that turning drives a machine這個轉動會帶動機械—— most famously最有名的就是 the heavy stones inside a mill磨坊裡的沉重石磨， that grind wheat into flour.把小麥磨成麵粉。 This is這是 one of the oldest machines people have:人類最古老的機械之一： water does the work水做了這個工作， that a person or an animal would otherwise have to do.本來要靠人或動物才能做的。

There is a second kind, working the other way round: a wheel turned by an animal or by people, which lifts water up out of a river into the fields. Farmers in many countries used these for irrigation. Both are called waterwheels, and both ideas are worth holding, because the word is really about the meeting of wheel and water, in either direction.

There is a second kind,還有第二種， working the other way round:方向剛好相反： a wheel turned by an animal or by people,由動物或人轉動的輪子， which lifts water up out of a river把水從河裡舉起來， into the fields.送到田裡。 Farmers in many countries許多國家的農民 used these用它們 for irrigation.來灌溉。 Both are called waterwheels,兩種都叫水車， and both ideas are worth holding,兩個概念都值得記住， because the word is really about因為這個字說的其實就是 the meeting of wheel and water,輪子和水相遇， in either direction.不管是哪個方向。

Today you will meet the word mostly in history lessons, in tourist places (old mills kept working for visitors), and in stories set long ago. Because of that, it carries a warm, old-fashioned feeling — turning slowly, dripping, a little green with moss.

Today今天 you will meet the word mostly你多半會遇到這個字 in history lessons,在歷史課、 in tourist places觀光景點 (old mills kept working for visitors),（為了遊客還在運作的老磨坊） and in stories set long ago.和很久以前的故事裡。 Because of that,因為這樣， it carries它帶著 a warm, old-fashioned feeling一種溫暖、老派的感覺—— turning slowly,慢慢轉動， dripping,滴著水， a little green with moss.長了一點青苔。

If you want the modern machine that makes electricity from a river, that is a turbine, not a waterwheel. People sometimes write it as two words, water wheel; both spellings are fine, and dictionaries differ.

If you want如果你想講的是 the modern machine現代機械， that makes electricity from a river,用河水發電的， that is a turbine,那是渦輪機， not a waterwheel.不是水車。 People sometimes write it這個字有時候會被寫成 as two words, water wheel;兩個字，water wheel； both spellings are fine,兩種拼法都可以， and dictionaries differ.字典的做法也不一致。