canton
canton — noun
1. a political division within certain countries that has its own local government
a political division within certain countries that has its own local government and limited self-rule — the best-known example is the 26 cantons that make up Switzerland.
Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, each with its own parliament and laws.
divided into + number + cantons — typical counting pattern
The canton of Bern is the second-largest in Switzerland by population.
canton of + place name
Each Swiss canton manages its own schools, hospitals, and roads.
Visitors to Switzerland often notice how different each canton feels in language and culture.
The canton system gives local communities a strong voice in national decisions.
- state
a larger, more autonomous political region (e.g., US state, German Bundesland); cantons are generally smaller
- province
a similar administrative region, common in Canada and China; provinces are usually larger than cantons
- region
a more general term for any geographic area with defined borders, not necessarily self-governing
文法句型
a/the + canton
canton of + place name
用法筆記
In learner contexts, canton most often refers to the 26 Swiss cantons. The word is also used historically for administrative divisions in France (départements) and Quebec (township-like areas), but these uses are much rarer in everyday English.
常見錯誤
2. the rectangular area located in the upper-left corner of a flag that has a colou
the rectangular area located in the upper-left corner of a flag that has a colour or design unlike the main part of the flag cloth — for example, the blue square with white stars on the US flag.
The canton of the American flag contains fifty white stars on a blue background.
canton of the + [country] flag — most common pattern
Many former British colonies kept the Union Jack in the canton of their flags after independence.
The Australian flag places the Union Jack in its canton and the Southern Cross stars across the main field.
A plain flag with no emblem or canton is called a solid-colour field.
Flag designers sometimes place a simple symbol rather than a complex crest in the canton.
- upper hoist
the technical heraldic term for the top-left corner of any flag or shield
- top left quarter
a plain-language alternative that avoids the technical term 'canton'
- fly end
the right side of a flag, opposite the canton
文法句型
the canton of a flag
flag with a canton
用法筆記
This is a technical term used mainly by flag enthusiasts (vexillologists) and in official flag descriptions. In everyday conversation, people say 'the top left corner of the flag' instead.