Glossary on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia

Key Chinese Legal Terms with Pinyin and Definitions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization and contextual explanations for legal practitioners, scholars, and students working with Chinese law.

法律 (fǎlǜ) — Law. A norm enacted by the National People’s Congress or its Standing Committee. Chinese law distinguishes between fǎlǜ (formal statutes enacted by the legislature) and fǎguī (regulations enacted by the executive). Only the NPC and its Standing Committee may enact fǎlǜ, which form the highest level of written law below the Constitution.

Chinese Legal Terms A-D with Pinyin and Definitions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from A through D, organized alphabetically by pinyin.

A

Anquan (安全) — Security; safety. A foundational concept in Chinese law, appearing in contexts ranging from national security (国家安全, guójiā ānquán) to public safety (公共安全, gōnggòng ānquán) and workplace safety (安全生产, ānquán shēngchǎn). The National Security Law (2015) defines national security broadly to include political, territorial, economic, cultural, social, and cyber security. The concept has expanded significantly under Xi Jinping, with the “holistic view of national security” (总体国家安全观) becoming a guiding principle of governance and legislation.

Chinese Legal Terms E-K with Pinyin and Definitions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from E through K, organized alphabetically by pinyin.

E

Ertong (儿童) — Child; children. The protection of children’s rights is governed by the Law on the Protection of Minors (未成年人保护法, wèichéngniánrén bǎohù fǎ, revised 2020) and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (预防未成年人犯罪法, yùfáng wèichéngniánrén fànzuì fǎ). The Civil Code sets the age of majority at 18 and establishes capacity gradations for minors. The 2020 revisions strengthened protections against child abuse, bullying, and online exploitation, and clarified the responsibilities of families, schools, and social organizations.

Chinese Legal Terms L-P with Pinyin and Definitions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from L through P, organized alphabetically by pinyin.

L

Laodong (劳动) — Labor; work. The constitutional right and duty of citizens (Article 42). Labor law governs employment relationships, working conditions, wages, and dispute resolution. The Labor Law (劳动法, 1994) and the Labor Contract Law (劳动合同法, 2008, amended 2012) are the principal statutes. The concept of láodòng is central to socialist ideology, and “honorable labor” is recognized as a fundamental social value.

Chinese Legal Terms Q-Z with Pinyin and Definitions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This glossary defines essential Chinese legal terms with pinyin romanization from Q through Z, organized alphabetically by pinyin.

Q

Qiangzhi (强制) — Compulsory; mandatory; forced. Used in legal terms including compulsory enforcement (强制执行, qiángzhì zhíxíng), compulsory measures (强制措施, qiángzhì cuòshī), and compulsory education (义务教育, yìwù jiàoyù). In civil procedure, qiángzhì zhíxíng refers to court-enforcement of judgments through asset seizure, auction, and other measures. Criminal procedure uses qiángzhì cuòshī to describe coercive measures including detention, arrest, and residential surveillance.