A caliphate is two related things, and English uses one word for both. It is the country — or the wide stretch of land — that a caliph rules. It is also the period when caliphs were in charge, the way we talk about an age as well as a place.

A caliphate caliphate is指的是 two related things兩個相關的概念, and而 English英文 uses one word for both為兩者用同一個字。It它 is就是 the country一個國家 or或 the wide stretch of land一大片土地 that a caliph rules由一位哈里發統治的。It它 is also同時也是 the period這段時期 when caliphs were in charge哈里發掌權的那段時期, the way we talk about an age as well as a place就像我們既可以談一個時代、也可以談一個地方一樣。

Though actually, a caliphate was not always a tidy nation with one border on a school map. Early on it was more like a huge community under one leader, across many peoples; later there were several caliphates, at different times and in different cities. In history you will see names like “the Abbasid Caliphate,” meaning both that state and that era.

Though actually不過其實, a caliphate哈里發國 was not always a tidy nation with one border on a school map並不總是像課本地圖上那種有清楚邊界的整齊國家。Early on一開始 it它 was more like a huge community under one leader比較像是一個由一位領袖統治、涵蓋許多民族的龐大社群, across many peoples; later後來 there were several caliphates出現過好幾個哈里發國, at different times and in different cities在不同時代、不同城市。In history在歷史上 you你 will see names like “the Abbasid Caliphate”會看到像「阿拔斯哈里發國」這樣的名稱, meaning both that state and that era同時指那個國家和那個時代。

In the news, if a group “declares a caliphate,” they are claiming that old mix of religious and political rule, not just picking a new country name. The word stays formal and historical.

In the news在新聞裡, if a group如果有個團體 “declares a caliphate”「宣布建立哈里發國」, they他們 are claiming宣稱的是 that old mix of religious and political rule那種古老的政教合一統治, not just picking a new country name而不只是取一個新國名。The word這個字 stays formal and historical始終帶著正式、歷史的味道。