nation
nation — 名詞
1. A country regarded as a body of citizens sharing the same government, cultural t
國家
擁有領土、政府與共同文化的人群
A country regarded as a body of citizens sharing the same government, cultural traditions, and historical roots within a fixed territory.
The president addressed the nation from the capital, asking citizens to stay united.
總統從首都向全國發表談話，呼籲人民團結一致。
collocation: address the nation
After the floods, the whole nation raised money to support the affected families.
洪水過後，全國人民募款支援受災的家庭。
collocation: the whole nation + collective action
Isabela learned about the history of her nation by visiting the national museum in Lima.
Isabela 透過參觀利馬的國家博物館，了解自己國家的歷史。
The two nations signed a peace agreement after years of conflict along the border.
兩個國家在經歷多年邊境衝突後，簽署了和平協議。
Layla's grandfather fought for the nation's independence and lived to see it achieved.
Layla 的祖父為國家的獨立而戰，並且親眼目睹了獨立的實現。
- foreign country
a different nation from the one being referred to
文法句型
the whole + nation (collective)
the [adjective] nation
the nation + [singular/plural verb]
用法筆記
The most common sense of nation. Frequently used with the whole + nation ('the whole nation celebrated'). Takes a singular verb when treated as a unit ('the nation is divided') or a plural verb when emphasising individual people ('the nation are united in their grief').
常見錯誤
2. Any sizeable community whose members share a common ethnic origin, language, and
民族
共享語言、傳統但未必同在一國的群體
Any sizeable community whose members share a common ethnic origin, language, and cultural heritage, even if they are spread across different countries.
The Kurdish nation stretches across several Middle Eastern countries, each with its own government.
庫德民族橫跨中東數個國家，各有自己的政府。
collocation: nation stretches across [countries]
Hari's nation has kept its language alive for more than a thousand years.
Hari 的民族將其語言保存了超過一千年。
pattern: one's nation has kept [something] alive
Members of the Rohingya nation have faced statelessness for generations in Southeast Asia.
羅興亞民族的成員已在東南亞經歷數代無國籍狀態。
The Basque nation speaks a language unrelated to any other European tongue.
巴斯克民族使用的語言與歐洲任何其他語言都無關聯。
- people
less formal and broader; 'a people' means a group sharing identity
- ethnic group
more academic, emphasises cultural and ancestral ties
- race
dated or controversial; now avoided in precise writing
文法句型
the [ethnic adjective] nation
a nation of [people]
nation without a state
用法筆記
This sense focuses on cultural and ethnic bonds rather than political borders. The group may be spread across multiple countries or have no independent state. Common in academic and political writing about minority groups and stateless peoples.
常見錯誤
3. A self-governing community of Indigenous peoples, such as a Native American trib
原住民族
擁有自治政府的原住民族群
A self-governing community of Indigenous peoples, such as a Native American tribe or a union of several tribes, that exercises political authority over its members and territory.
The Navajo Nation runs its own government, police force, and schools.
納瓦霍族國擁有自己的政府、警察和學校。
collocation: [Name] Nation has its own [government/institutions]
Delegates from several Indigenous nations met in Ottawa to discuss land rights and water protection.
來自數個原住民族的代表在渥太華開會，討論土地權及水資源保護。
The Hopi Nation has occupied the same Arizona area for over a thousand years.
霍皮族國佔據亞利桑那州同一地區已超過一千年。
Ilàn's grandmother was a respected elder in her Indigenous nation and taught traditional medicine.
Ilàn 的祖母是她所屬原住民族中備受尊敬的長老，並教授傳統醫藥。
- tribe
more specific to kinship structure; less emphasis on sovereignty
- First Nation
Canadian term for Indigenous communities
- people
generic term, avoids political nuance
文法句型
the [Name] Nation
[number] Indigenous nations
[Name] is a nation
用法筆記
Chiefly used for Indigenous peoples in North America. Capitalised when part of a proper name (Navajo Nation, Hopi Nation). The word tribe may refer to a smaller kinship-based unit; nation emphasises political sovereignty and self-government. Also used in Canadian contexts (First Nations).