Naturalization is the official process that lets a person born in one country become a citizen of another country. You were not a citizen there from birth.

Naturalizationnaturalization(歸化) is the official process是一個正式的程序 that lets a person born in one country become a citizen of another country讓在一個國家出生的人變成另一個國家的公民。You were not a citizen there from birth你並不是一出生就是那裡的公民。

You apply, you often wait a long time, you may take a test about the language and the laws, and if the government says yes, you become a citizen — usually with a new passport and many of the same rights as people born there (the exact rights depend on the country).

You apply你提出申請, you often wait a long time常常要等很久, you may take a test about the language and the laws可能要考語言和法律的測驗, and if the government says yes如果政府同意, you become a citizen你就成為公民 — usually with a new passport通常會拿到新護照 and many of the same rights as people born there並享有和在那裡出生的人差不多的權利 (the exact rights depend on the country確切的權利內容依國家而定)。

This is a formal, legal word. In everyday talk people more often say become a citizen or get citizenship. You will meet naturalization on government forms, in the news, and in law.

This is a formal, legal word這是一個正式的法律用語。In everyday talk日常說話時 people more often say become a citizen or get citizenship人們比較常說become a citizen(成為公民)或get citizenship(取得國籍)。You will meet naturalization你會在 on government forms, in the news, and in law政府文件、新聞和法律裡遇到naturalization這個字。

Though actually, the word can sound as if you slowly become natural in a new place, like learning the food and the jokes. That is not what it means here. Naturalization is a paper-and-law change: the country now counts you as a citizen.

Though actually不過其實, the word can sound as if you slowly become natural in a new place這個字聽起來可能像是你在一個新地方慢慢變得「natural(自然、習慣)」, like learning the food and the jokes像是學會當地的飲食和笑話一樣。That is not what it means here但在這裡不是這個意思。Naturalizationnaturalization is a paper-and-law change是一種紙上、法律上的身分改變: the country now counts you as a citizen這個國家現在正式把你算作公民。

Do not mix it with nationalization, which is when a government takes over a private company — a completely different idea that only looks similar on the page.

Do not mix it with nationalization不要把它跟nationalization(國有化)搞混, which is when a government takes over a private company那是指政府接管一家民間公司 — a completely different idea that only looks similar on the page是完全不同的概念，只是拼字看起來有點像。