An ombudsman is a person whose job is to take complaints from ordinary people against a big, powerful place — the government, a bank, an insurance company, a university — and to look into them in a fair way. They do not work for the office you are angry with. They try to put things right, or at least say clearly what went wrong.

An ombudsmanombudsman is a person這個字指的是一個人 whose job is to他的工作是 take complaints from ordinary people接受一般民眾的投訴 against a big, powerful place針對一個龐大、有權力的機構 — the government政府, a bank銀行, an insurance company保險公司, a university大學 — and to look into them in a fair way並公正地去調查這些投訴. They do not work for他們並不是替 the office you are angry with你在生氣的那個機構工作. They try to put things right他們會設法把事情導正, or at least say clearly what went wrong或至少清楚說明哪裡出了問題.

Many countries have one for government and another for money matters.

Many countries have one for government許多國家會有一個處理政府事務的ombudsman and another for money matters另一個處理金融事務.

Though actually the word is Swedish; Sweden built this job a long time ago, and other countries borrowed both the job and the name. In English we still often say ombudsman even when the person is a woman, though some places now say ombudsperson.

Though actually不過實際上, the word is Swedish這個字源自瑞典文; Sweden built this job a long time ago瑞典很久以前就設立了這個職位, and other countries borrowed both the job and the name其他國家後來把這個職位和名稱都借用了過去. In English we still often say ombudsman英文裡還是常常說ombudsman even when the person is a woman即使那個人是女性, though some places now say ombudsperson不過有些地方現在會說ombudsperson.

It is a formal, official word. You meet it in the news and in letters from banks, not in chat with friends.

It is a formal, official word這是一個正式、官方性質的字. You meet it in the news and in letters from banks你會在新聞裡，還有銀行寄來的信裡碰到它, not in chat with friends而不是在跟朋友的閒聊裡.