A windowpane is one single flat piece of glass set into a window. A window as a whole is the frame plus the glass plus the hole in the wall; the pane is only the glass part. Many windows are divided by thin bars of wood or metal into several small squares, and each of those squares of glass is one pane — so an old cottage window might have twelve panes, while a modern office window is one huge pane.

a windowpane windowpane is one single flat piece of glass set into a window就是裝在窗戶裡的一整片平面玻璃。a window as a whole整個窗戶 is the frame plus the glass plus the hole in the wall是窗框加玻璃加牆上那個洞; the pane但pane是 is only the glass part只指玻璃的部分。many windows很多窗戶 are divided by thin bars of wood or metal被細細的木條或金屬條分隔 into several small squares成好幾個小方格, and而 each of those squares of glass每一格玻璃 is one pane就是一個pane — so所以 an old cottage window might have twelve panes舊式小屋的窗戶可能有十二個pane, while而 a modern office window現代辦公室的窗戶 is one huge pane可能就是一整片大玻璃。

This is why people say 'a pane of glass' when they talk about breaking one, or replacing one: you do not replace the whole window, you replace the pane. In everyday speech people often just say 'pane' on its own, or even say 'the window' when they mean the glass ('don't touch the window, you'll leave fingerprints'). 'Windowpane' as one full word is a little more careful and a little more written — you meet it in descriptions, in stories about rain running down the windowpane, in shops that sell glass.

this is why這就是為什麼 people say人們會說 'a pane of glass''a pane of glass' when they talk about breaking one, or replacing one在講打破或更換的時候: you do not replace the whole window你不會整扇窗戶換掉, you replace the pane換的是那片玻璃。in everyday speech日常說話裡, people often just say人們常常就直接說 'pane' on its own單獨的'pane', or even say 'the window' when they mean the glass或甚至意思是玻璃卻直接說'the window' ('don't touch the window, you'll leave fingerprints'像'don't touch the window, you'll leave fingerprints')。'windowpane' as one full word完整寫成'windowpane'一個字時 is a little more careful and a little more written比較講究、比較書面, you meet it你會在 in descriptions, in stories about rain running down the windowpane, in shops that sell glass描寫性文字、講雨水滑下窗玻璃的故事、賣玻璃的店裡遇到它。

It also has a second life as a pattern word: a 'windowpane check' is a cloth with widely spaced thin lines crossing to make big open squares, like the bars of an old window. That use is common in clothes shops.

it這個字 also has a second life as a pattern word還有第二個身分,是個花紋用詞: a 'windowpane check''windowpane check' is a cloth with widely spaced thin lines crossing to make big open squares指的是用間距很寬的細線交叉出大方格的布料, like the bars of an old window就像老式窗戶的窗格。that use這種用法 is common in clothes shops在服飾店很常見。

Note the spelling of 'pane' — nothing to do with 'pain', though English being English, they sound exactly the same.

note the spelling of 'pane'要注意'pane'的拼法 — nothing to do with 'pain'跟'pain'一點關係都沒有, though不過 English being English英文就是英文, they sound exactly the same兩個字唸起來一模一樣。