A militia is a group of people trained as soldiers who are not the country’s permanent, professional army. They are citizens who can be called up, or an armed civilian force that trains on the side.

A militia militia is a group of people trained as soldiers是一群受過軍事訓練的人 who are not the country's permanent, professional army但不是這個國家常設的正規軍。They他們 are citizens who can be called up是可以被徵召的一般公民，or an armed civilian force that trains on the side或是私下受訓的武裝民間力量

In some countries this is official and old: farmers and townspeople who drill a few days a year. In other places the word names a volunteer or paramilitary group that the state may or may not control — and news English sometimes uses it for armed factions in a civil war.

In some countries在有些國家 this is official and old這是正式且歷史悠久的制度：farmers and townspeople who drill a few days a year農民和鎮民一年操練幾天。In other places在其他地方 the word names a volunteer or paramilitary group這個字指的是志願性或準軍事性的團體 that the state may or may not control國家可能管得到、也可能管不到——and news English新聞英文 sometimes uses it for armed factions in a civil war有時候會拿它來指內戰裡的武裝派系

In the United States the word also lives in law and politics (the ‘militia’ in constitutional talk), which is why Americans argue about it in a way many other countries do not.

In the United States在美國 the word這個字 also lives in law and politics也活在法律和政治裡（the 'militia' in constitutional talk憲法討論裡講的'militia'），which is why Americans argue about it in a way many other countries do not這也是為什麼美國人會為這個字吵成別的國家少見的樣子

A separate, real use: in the old USSR, and still in some places such as Belarus, the regular police force was called the militia (not ‘police’). That is a translation habit from those states, not the usual English picture of citizen-soldiers. So if you meet militia in a story about Minsk, check whether they mean police.

A separate, real use另外還有一個真實存在的用法：in the old USSR, and still in some places such as Belarus在舊蘇聯，以及現在的白俄羅斯等地方，the regular police force was called the militia (not 'police')正規警力被叫做militia（而不是police）。That is a translation habit from those states這是那些國家的翻譯習慣，not the usual English picture of citizen-soldiers不是英文一般說的公民士兵那個畫面。So if you meet militia in a story about Minsk所以如果你在講明斯克的報導裡看到militia，check whether they mean police要確認一下他們是不是在講警察

Elsewhere, start with ‘not the standing army’.

Elsewhere在其他地方 start with 'not the standing army'先從「不是常備軍」這個概念開始理解就對了