Neutrality is the state of not taking either side. In its biggest sense it is a country's official position of staying out of a war: Switzerland is the famous example, and armed neutrality — staying out but keeping an army ready — is a real and respected policy, not simply hiding. There is even international law about it, setting out what a neutral country may and may not do, such as not letting either side march soldiers across its land.

Neutrality is Neutrality就是 the state of not taking either side不選邊站的狀態 In its biggest sense往最大的層面講 it is a country's official position of staying out of a war這是一個國家不參與戰爭的官方立場 Switzerland is the famous exampleSwitzerland（瑞士）是有名的例子 armed neutralityarmed neutrality（武裝中立） staying out but keeping an army ready不參戰但保持軍隊隨時待命 is a real and respected policy是一個真實而受人尊重的政策 not simply hiding不只是躲起來而已 There is even international law about it甚至有國際法在規範這件事 setting out what a neutral country may and may not do明訂一個中立國可以做什麼、不可以做什麼 such as not letting either side march soldiers across its land例如不能讓任何一方的軍隊穿越自己的領土

But the word is used far more widely than war. A judge, a referee, a mediator, a journalist and a teacher are all expected to show neutrality — to treat both sides with the same weight and let their own opinion stay out of it.

But the word is used far more widely than war不過這個字用的範圍比戰爭廣得多 A judge, a referee, a mediator, a journalist and a teacherjudge（法官）、referee（裁判）、mediator（調解人）、journalist（記者）和teacher（老師） are all expected to show neutrality都被期待要展現neutrality to treat both sides with the same weight也就是平等對待雙方 and let their own opinion stay out of it不讓自己的意見介入

It also gets used about things that are not people: the neutrality of a colour or a smell (having no strong character), electrical neutrality (no charge either way), and "net neutrality", the rule that an internet company must carry everyone's data at the same speed rather than favouring its own services.

It also gets used about things that are not people它也可以用在不是人的東西上 the neutrality of a colour or a smell顏色或氣味的neutrality having no strong character沒有強烈的特色 electrical neutralityelectrical neutrality（電中性） no charge either way沒有偏向哪一種電荷 and 'net neutrality'還有「net neutrality」（網路中立） the rule that an internet company must carry everyone's data at the same speed也就是網路公司必須用同樣的速度傳送每個人的資料 rather than favouring its own services不能偏袒自己的服務

Two honest notes. First, it is uncountable — "neutrality", not "a neutrality".

Two honest notes有兩點老實話要說 First第一 it is uncountable這個字是不可數的 'neutrality', not 'a neutrality'只說「neutrality」不說「a neutrality」

Second, the word sounds clean but is often fought over: people who criticise neutrality say it is a comfortable way of avoiding responsibility, and the sentence "neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim" is a well-known line of argument. So when you use the word, expect the other person to have feelings about it.

Second第二 the word sounds clean but is often fought over這個字聽起來很乾淨但其實常常引發爭論 people who criticise neutrality say it is a comfortable way of avoiding responsibility批評neutrality的人會說這只是逃避責任的舒服藉口 and the sentence 'neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim'而「neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim」（中立只會幫到壓迫者，從來不會幫到受害者） is a well-known line of argument這句話就是很有名的論點 So when you use the word所以當你用這個字的時候 expect the other person to have feelings about it要有心理準備對方可能對它有意見