In a court of law, the plaintiff is the person (or company) who starts the case against someone else: they say they were wronged and ask the court to fix it, often with money. The other side is the defendant.

In a court of law在法庭上，the plaintiff原告 is the person (or company) who starts the case against someone else是對另一方提告的那個人（或公司）：they他們 say they were wronged說自己受了委屈，and ask the court to fix it並要求法院處理，often with money通常是要求賠錢。The other side另一方 is the defendant就是被告。

You hear plaintiff in civil cases — fights about contracts, accidents, property — not in everyday chat. In a criminal case the state usually brings the charge, so we do not call the injured person the plaintiff.

You你 hear plaintiff會聽到plaintiff這個字 in civil cases是在民事案件裡——fights about contracts, accidents, property像合約糾紛、意外、財產爭議——not in everyday chat不是在日常聊天裡。In a criminal case在刑事案件裡，the state usually brings the charge通常是由國家提告，so we所以我們 do not call the injured person the plaintiff不會把受害人稱為原告。

The word is formal and legal; news and lawyers use it, friends almost never do.

The word這個字 is formal and legal是正式的法律用語；news and lawyers新聞和律師 use it會用它，friends而朋友之間 almost never do幾乎不會用。

It looks a little like plaintive, and they are old cousins, but they do not mean the same thing now.

It它 looks a little like plaintive長得有點像plaintive，and they而這兩個字 are old cousins是古老的親戚，but they但它們 do not mean the same thing now現在意思已經不一樣了。