country

The word country comes from Old French contrée, which derives from Vulgar Latin (terra) contrata ("(land) lying opposite"; "(land) spread before"), derived from contra ("against, opposite"). It most likely entered the English language after the Franco-Norman invasion during the 11th century.

In English the word has increasingly become associated with political divisions, so that one sense, associated with the indefinite article [不定冠词] – "a country" – through misuse and subsequent conflation is now a synonym for state, or a former sovereign state, in the sense of sovereign territory or "district, native land". Areas much smaller than a political state may be called by names such as the West Country in England, the Black Country (a heavily industrialized part of England), "Constable Country" (a part of East Anglia painted by John Constable), the "big country" (used in various contexts of the American West), "coal country" (used of parts of the US and elsewhere) and many other terms.

• conflate [Language: Latin; 过去分词 of conflare 'to blow together, join', from com- + flare 'to blow']

The equivalent terms in French and other Romance languages (pays and variants) have not carried the process of being identified with political sovereign states as far as the English "country", instead derived from, pagus, which designated the territory controlled by a medieval count [伯爵, earl], a title originally granted by the Catholic Church. In many European countries the words are used for sub-divisions of the national territory, as in the German Bundesländer, as well as a less formal term for a sovereign state. France has very many "pays" that are officially recognized at some level, and are either natural regions, like the Pays de Bray, or reflect old political or economic entities, like the Pays de la Loire [卢瓦尔河地区].

• county [Language: Old French; Origin: conté 'area ruled by a count', from Medieval Latin comitatus, from Latin comes]

A version of "country" can be found in the modern French language as contrée, based on the word cuntrée in Old French, that is used similarly to the word "pays" to define non-state regions, but can also be used to describe a political state in some particular cases. The modern Italian contrada is a word with its meaning varying locally, but usually meaning a ward or similar small division of a town, or a village or hamlet in the countryside.

The largest country in the world by geographical area is Russia, while the most populous is China, followed by India, the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan and Brazil. The newest UN member is South Sudan, followed by Montenegro [黑山]. Admission of new members requires the approval of the General Assembly; and UN membership has since 1991 been reserved to sovereign states.

Most countries have two names, a protocol name and a geographical name or short name. The protocol name (full name, formal name, official name) is used when the state is targeted as a legal entity. The geographical name (short name) is used when the state is referred to geographically or economically. For certain states, the long form and the short form are identical.

A national anthem is a country's national song. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style.

What is the significance of National Flag and National Emblem of China? (chinadaily.com.cn)

National Flag and National Emblem represent national sovereignty and symbolize national dignity.

National Flag of China is red flag with five stars.

• Red: To symbolize revolution
• Five stars and their relationships: To symbolize great union of revolutionary people under leadership of Communist Party of China
• Each of four small stars has sharp angle right against center of big star: To represent all hearts of millions of the people toward great Communist Party of China

National Emblem of China

• In center of National Emblem: Tiananmen illuminated by five stars
• Around National Emblem: ears of grain and a cogwheel
  • A cogwheel and ears of grain: to symbolize the alliance of workers and peasants
• Tiananmen: To represent victory of new democratic revolution and birth of PRC
• Five stars: To represent great unity of Chinese people

六级/考研单词: derive, vulgar, invade, indefinite, synonym, sovereign, territory, indigenous, flare, equivalent, romance, designate, medieval, catholic, nationwide, entity, likewise, ward, geography, unite, assemble, protocol, illicit, march, dignity, revolve, million, illuminate, grain, peasant, democracy