A patriot is a person who loves their country and is willing to defend it. Dictionaries mark this as praise: to call someone a patriot is to say you admire that love. The person is a patriot; the feeling is patriotism; the adjective is patriotic.

A patriot這個字 is是 a person who loves their country and is willing to defend it一個愛自己國家、並且願意保衛它的人。Dictionaries字典 mark this as praise把這個字標記為稱讚：to call someone a patriot稱某人為patriot，is to say就是說 you你 admire that love欣賞那份愛。The person這個人 is是 a patriotpatriot；the feeling這種感覺 is是 patriotismpatriotism；the adjective形容詞 is是 patrioticpatriotic。

Though actually, people fight over this word more than over almost any other kind word. Almost every side likes to wear it, and to say the other side does not deserve it. In speeches it can be a quiet thank-you, or a political badge, or — said with a twist of the mouth — a jab (“so-called patriot”).

Though actually不過事實上，people人們 fight over this word為了這個字爭吵 more than over almost any other kind word的程度，比幾乎任何其他友善的字都要多。Almost every side幾乎每一方 likes to wear it都喜歡把它戴在自己身上，and而 to say the other side does not deserve it說另一方不配擁有它。In speeches在演講裡，it它 can be a quiet thank-you可以是一句安靜的感謝，or a political badge或一個政治標誌，or或 — said with a twist of the mouth用嘴角一撇的語氣說出來 — a jab變成一種嘲諷 ("so-called patriot")（「所謂的patriot」）。

The word does not check whether the person is kind, or right, or fair to people who live beside them. It only names the love of country, and the readiness to stand up for it. Students need the warm meaning, and they also need to hear that adults use it as a weapon.

The word這個字 does not check不會去檢查 whether the person is kind, or right, or fair to people who live beside them這個人是不是善良、是不是對的，或對身邊的人是不是公平。It它 only names只是點出 the love of country對國家的愛，and以及 the readiness to stand up for it願意挺身而出的那份準備。Students學生 need the warm meaning需要知道這個溫暖的意思，and而 they他們 also need to hear也需要聽到 that adults use it as a weapon成年人會把它當作武器來用。