联邦

• Pinyin: lián bāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 联 = 耳 + 关 + 糸 (unite — linked ties); 邦 = 丰 + 阝 (state/nation — territory)

Meaning

Federation; federal union. A political organisation in which constituent units are united under a central government while retaining a degree of autonomy.

Used in political science, international relations, and news. Examples: 美国联邦政府 (US federal government), 联邦制 (federalism), 联邦调查局 (FBI). Often contrasted with 单一制 (unitary system). Also appears in compound names of international bodies and sports federations.

Examples

1. 美国是一个由五十个州组成的联邦国家，各州在教育和税收方面拥有独立权力。 The United States is a federal country made up of fifty states, and each state has independent authority over education and taxation.
2. 联邦政府负责国防和外交，而地方政府则主要承担民生和公共服务方面的职责。 The federal government is responsible for national defense and foreign affairs, while local governments mainly handle people’s livelihood and public services.
3. 该组织建议将两个相邻国家合并为一个联邦，以增强整体的经济竞争实力。 The organization recommended merging two neighboring countries into a federation to strengthen overall economic competitiveness.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, international relations, government, political science

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 联邦制赋予地方政府更大的自治权，有助于因地制宜地制定政策。(Federalism grants local governments greater autonomy, which helps tailor policies to local conditions.)
• 在联邦体制下，中央与地方的权力划分是宪法层面的核心议题之一。(Under a federal system, the division of powers between the central and local governments is one of the core issues at the constitutional level.)

Don't Say

• 将'联邦'与'联盟'混用 — 联邦是具有宪法约束力的政治实体，联盟通常指更松散的合作关系或组织

Origin & History

联 (unite/link) + 邦 (nation/state) — nations joined together under a shared framework

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal