政府
zhèngfǔ
The English word 'government' is translated into Chinese as 政府 (zhèngfǔ).
政府 is a general term used for any level of government, from national to local, unless a specific level is specified.
Meaning: body with the power to make and/or enforce laws (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 政 (zhèng), meaning politics or administration and 府 (fǔ), meaning a government office or residence.
Which one should you use?
While 政府 is the generic term for a government, you can use 中央政府 (zhōngyāng zhèngfǔ) to specify the central government or 地方政府 (dìfāng zhèngfǔ) to specify a local government. Another term, 政权, emphasizes the political power or authority of the government.
How do you pronounce it?
zhèngfǔ
Did you know?
- In many modern Chinese political contexts, the term 机关 (jīguān), which literally means 'machinery' or 'organ', is frequently used to refer to government agencies or departments.
- While 政府 is the standard term today, historical Chinese texts often used 朝廷 (cháotíng), which literally means 'the morning court'. This refers to the ritual time when officials gathered to meet the emperor.
- The character 政 (zhèng) is closely related to the concept of 'rectifying' or 'making straight'. This implies that the very essence of politics and administration is the act of bringing order to chaos.
Examples in context
- 别让宗教影响政府。Keep religion out of government.This sentence shows how to discuss religion in relation to the 政府.Tatoeba #13744230 by fup6m3vj0, translation #5729033 by CM
- 政府應該徹底加強軍隊建設！The government should strengthen their army once and for all!This sentence illustrates a suggestion for the 政府 regarding military strength.Tatoeba #13580032 by LeviHighway, translation #2756956 by mervert1
- 政府将采取强制措施来解决这一问题。The government will adopt enforcement measures to solve this problem.This sentence demonstrates the use of 政府 regarding enforcement measures.Tatoeba #4546983 by murr, translation #4728125 by paper1n0
- 我很感谢政府的工作 (Wǒ hěn gǎnxiè zhèngfǔ de gōngzuò)I am very grateful for the government's work
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a news report about new policies.
- 雨婷 Yuting政府最近发布了新规定。Zhèngfǔ zuìjìn fābùle xīn guīdìng.The government recently issued new regulations.
- 浩然 Haoran我知道，这会对大家有影响。Wǒ zhīdào, zhè huì duì dàjiā yǒu yǐngxiǎng.I know, this will affect everyone.
- 雨婷 Yuting你觉得政府的做法对吗？Nǐ juédé zhèngfǔ de zuòfǎ duì ma?Do you think the government's approach is correct?
- 浩然 Haoran我觉得还需要观察一下。Wǒ juédé hái xūyào guānchá yīxià.I think we still need to observe it for a while.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “government” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
