Wildfowl are wild birds that live on or near water — ducks, geese, and swans above all. The word is a group word, like "cattle": it does not usually take an s, and it takes a plural verb.

Wildfowl野禽 are是 that live on or near water住在水邊或水上的 wild birds野鳥——ducks, geese, and swans above all尤其是鴨、鵝、天鵝。The word這個字 is是 a group word集合名詞, like cattle像牛群一樣: it does not usually take an s通常不加s, and it takes a plural verb而且用複數動詞。

"Wildfowl are common on the lake", not "a wildfowl" and not "wildfowls". If you need to talk about one bird, name it: a duck, a goose.

'Wildfowl are common on the lake'野禽在湖上很常見, not不是 'a wildfowl' and not 'wildfowls'單數a wildfowl或複數wildfowls這種說法。If you need to talk about one bird如果你需要講一隻鳥, name it就直接說出牠的名字: a duck鴨子, a goose鵝。

The word carries a particular flavour: it comes from hunting, and much of the time it still points that way. "Wildfowl" often means these birds seen as game — birds people shoot and eat. That is why you meet it in phrases like wildfowling (hunting them) and wildfowler (a person who does). But it is also the ordinary term in nature writing and conservation: a wildfowl reserve is a protected place where such birds live, and nobody shoots there.

The word這個字 carries帶有 a particular flavour一種特別的味道: it comes from hunting它源自打獵, and much of the time it still points that way而且大多時候還是指向那個方向。'Wildfowl'這個字 often means常常是指 these birds seen as game被當成獵物看待的這些鳥——birds people shoot and eat人們獵殺來吃的鳥。That is why這就是為什麼 you meet it in phrases like你會在這些詞裡看到它 wildfowling打野禽這回事 and wildfowler打野禽的人。But不過 it is也是 the ordinary term一般用語 in nature writing and conservation在自然寫作和保育文章裡: a wildfowl reserve野禽保護區 is一個 a protected place保護區 where such birds live讓這些鳥棲息, and nobody shoots there沒有人在那裡打獵。

It is a somewhat old-fashioned and rather British word. In American English, "waterfowl" is far more common for the same birds. Notice that "wildfowl" says wild, so a duck on a farm is not wildfowl; "waterfowl" says water, so it covers the wild ones and, loosely, tame ones too.

It is這個字 a somewhat old-fashioned and rather British word有點過時、而且相當英式。In American English在美式英語裡, 'waterfowl'這個字 is far more common常見得多 for the same birds指同樣這些鳥。Notice that你會注意到 'wildfowl' says wild這個字說的是wild(野生), so a duck on a farm is not wildfowl所以農場養的鴨不算wildfowl; 'waterfowl' says water這個字說的是water(水), so it covers the wild ones所以它包含野生的, and, loosely, tame ones too也鬆散地包含馴養的。