gwok3 mou6 jyun2國務院国务院
Definition
The State Council of China, the US State Department, or a similar government body in other countries.
- the State Council of the People's Republic of China
- the Department of State of the United States
- a corresponding executive state organ in other countries (e.g. Ireland)
How it's used
This term is highly context dependent because it refers to two completely different entities depending on whether you are discussing Chinese or American politics. In the Chinese context, it refers to the highest administrative organ of the government, while in the American context, it specifically refers to the federal executive department responsible for foreign policy. Because of this, listeners usually rely on the surrounding context to determine which country is being discussed.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the American White House or other government branches. Remember that in the United States, the State Department is equivalent to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs in other countries, whereas in China, it is the central government cabinet.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
