electric

Compared meaning: related to or powered by electricity (adjective).

比较义项：与电有关；由电驱动（形容词）。

• electrical

  Used mainly in general or technical contexts about electricity itself — engineering, wiring, faults, safety — rather than to name one specific electric-powered device.

  主要用于与电力本身相关的一般性或技术性场合，如工程、布线、故障、安全问题，而不是用来指某一具体的电动设备。

  An electrical fault caused the whole building to lose power.

  一次电路故障导致整栋大楼断电。

• electric 本词

  Used mainly to name a specific device, vehicle or object that runs on electricity, often contrasted with a non-electric version, as in electric car or electric guitar.

  主要用来指某个具体的、由电驱动的设备、交通工具或物品，常与非电动版本相对，如electric car（电动汽车）或electric guitar（电吉他）。

  We bought an electric car to save money on fuel.

  我们买了一辆电动汽车，以节省燃油费用。

Electrical and electric both relate to electricity. Electrical is used mainly for general or technical topics about electricity itself, like wiring or safety, not one specific device. Electric usually names a specific device that runs on electricity, like an electric car or electric guitar.

这两个词都表示“与电有关”或“由电驱动”，但典型用法不同：electrical多用于电力这一领域或系统本身的一般性、技术性说法，electric多用于指某个具体的、由电驱动的设备或物品。这里不比较electric作“令人兴奋的、紧张刺激的”这一比喻义（如electric atmosphere）。