执法 (zhífǎ) — law enforcement; to enforce the law

执法 (zhífǎ)

执法 refers to the act of enforcing or implementing laws and regulations, as well as the process of law enforcement carried out by authorized authorities or officers.

Meanings

1. [verb] to enforce the law; to implement regulations
2. [noun] law enforcement; enforcement of the law

Example Sentences

执法部门在节假日期间加强了对食品安全的检查，保障市民的饮食安全。 Zhífǎ bùmén zài jiéjiàrì qījiān jiāqiángle duì shípǐn ānquán de jiǎnchá, bǎozhàng shìmín de yǐnshí ānquán. Law enforcement departments intensified food safety inspections during holidays to ensure the dietary safety of citizens.

执法必须公正，任何人都不能凌驾于法律之上或逃避法律的制裁。 Zhífǎ bìxū gōngzhèng, rènhé rén dōu bù néng língjià yú fǎlǜ zhī shàng huò táobì fǎlǜ de zhìcái. Law enforcement must be impartial; no one can be above the law or escape its punishment.

交通执法人员在路口拦截超速车辆，并依法对违规司机进行处罚。 Jiāotōng zhífǎ rényuán zài lùkǒu lánjiē chāosù chēliàng, bìng yīfǎ duì wéiguī sījī jìnxíng chǔfá. Traffic law enforcement officers stopped speeding vehicles at intersections and penalized violating drivers in accordance with the law.

文明执法、规范执法是建设法治社会的重要组成部分。 Wénmíng zhífǎ, guīfàn zhífǎ shì jiànshè fǎzhì shèhuì de zhòngyào zǔchéng bùfèn. Civilized and standardized law enforcement is an important part of building a rule-of-law society.

该市成立了专门的环保执法队，严厉打击非法排污行为。 Gāi shì chénglìle zhuānmén de huánbǎo zhífǎ duì, yánlì dǎjī fēifǎ páiwū xíngwéi. The city established a dedicated environmental law enforcement team to crack down on illegal discharge of pollutants.

执法过程中，工作人员需要保持冷静和专业，避免激化矛盾。 Zhífǎ guòchéng zhōng, gōngzuò rényuán xūyào bǎochí lěngjìng hé zhuānyè, bìmiǎn jīhuà máodùn. During law enforcement, personnel need to remain calm and professional to avoid escalating conflicts.

Collocations

Usage Notes

执法 (to enforce the law) is different from 立法 (to legislate/make laws) and 司法 (judiciary/administration of justice). The three together form the core of the legal system: 立法 (legislature), 司法 (judiciary), and 执法 (law enforcement/executive).

执法 is commonly used in formal, governmental, and journalistic contexts. The phrase 依法执法 (to enforce the law in accordance with law) emphasizes that enforcement must itself be lawful. Common collocates include 部门 (department), 人员 (personnel), and descriptive adverbs like 文明 (civilized), 规范 (standardized), 严格 (strict).

Memory Hook

执 (to hold/carry out) + 法 (law) — 执法 is to hold and carry out the law, putting legal rules into action.