秩序 (zhìxù) — order

秩序 (zhìxù)

秩序 refers to order — the organized, regulated, and stable state of affairs in society, institutions, or nature. It can describe social order, world order, legal order, or the order of a meeting. It contrasts with chaos (混乱) and is a central concept in political philosophy, governance, and social theory.

Meanings

1. [n] order (a stable, organized state of society or affairs)
2. [n] order, procedure (the proper arrangement or sequence of things)

Example Sentences

维护社会秩序是国家最基本的职能，也是公民享有其他权利的前提条件。 Wéihù shèhuì zhìxù shì guójiā zuì jīběn de zhínéng, yě shì gōngmín xiǎngyǒu qítā quánlì de qiántí tiáojiàn. Maintaining social order is the most fundamental function of the state and a prerequisite for citizens to enjoy other rights.

当前国际秩序正面临来自多个方向的压力与挑战，亟需各方合作加以维护。 Dāngqián guójì zhìxù zhèng miànlín láizì duōgè fāngxiàng de yālì yǔ tiǎozhàn, jí xū gèfāng hézuò jiāyǐ wéihù. The current international order is facing pressure and challenges from multiple directions and urgently requires cooperation among all parties to maintain it.

法律的功能在于将社会中的秩序需求转化为可执行的规则体系。 Fǎlǜ de gōngnéng zàiyú jiāng shèhuì zhōng de zhìxù xūqiú zhuǎnhuà wéi kě zhíxíng de guīzé tǐxì. The function of law lies in transforming society's need for order into an enforceable system of rules.

会场秩序的混乱直接影响了这次重要谈判的效果。 Huìchǎng zhìxù de hùnluàn zhíjiē yǐngxiǎng le zhè cì zhòngyào tánpàn de xiàoguǒ. The disorder in the conference hall directly affected the effectiveness of this important negotiation.

生态系统有其自然秩序，人类的过度干预往往会打乱这一精妙的平衡。 Shēngtài xìtǒng yǒu qí zìrán zhìxù, rénlèi de guòdù gānyù wǎngwǎng huì dǎluàn zhè yī jīngmiào de pínghéng. Ecosystems have their own natural order; excessive human intervention often disrupts this delicate balance.

后冷战时代建立起来的自由主义国际秩序正在遭受前所未有的冲击。 Hòu lěngzhàn shídài jiànlì qǐlái de zìyóu zhǔyì guójì zhìxù zhèngzài zāoshòu qián suǒ wèi yǒu de chōngjī. The liberal international order established in the post-Cold War era is experiencing unprecedented shocks.

Collocations

Usage Notes

秩序 is more formal and structural than 顺序 (shùnxù, sequence/order in a procedural sense). 秩序 describes the overall organized state of a society or system, while 顺序 refers to the arrangement of steps or elements in a sequence. The phrase 秩序井然 (in perfect order) is a common set phrase. In political philosophy, 秩序 is contrasted with 自由 (freedom) and 平等 (equality) as the third core value of governance.

Note that 维持秩序 (to maintain order) and 破坏秩序 (to disrupt order) are standard collocations in political and legal language.

Memory Hook

秩 (order/rank) + 序 (sequence/order) — 秩序 redoubles the idea of organized arrangement, a ranked sequence of things in their proper place.