Reciprocity is a situation in which two people, groups, or countries give each other similar kinds of help or similar special rights. The simple picture is “you do this for me, and I do the same kind of thing for you.” It is a rather formal word.

Reciprocity互惠is a situation in which two people, groups, or countries give each other similar kinds of help or similar special rights是指兩個人、團體或國家彼此給對方類似的幫助或類似的特殊權利的一種狀態。The simple picture簡單的畫面is “you do this for me, and I do the same kind of thing for you.”就是「你為我做這個，我也為你做同樣的事」。It它is a rather formal word是一個相當正式的字。

You meet it a lot in politics and trade: if one country lets another country’s goods in with low taxes, it often wants reciprocity — the same kind of treatment back.

You你meet it a lot in politics and trade常常在政治和貿易裡遇到這個字: if one country lets another country's goods in with low taxes如果一個國家用低稅讓另一個國家的商品進來it它often wants reciprocity通常會希望得到互惠 — the same kind of treatment back也就是對方回以同樣的待遇。

People also use it about friendship and favours, though actually everyday English often says “give and take” instead. Scientists use it about animals that help each other in turn.

People人們also use it about friendship and favours也會用這個字形容友情和人情though actually不過其實everyday English日常英文often says “give and take” instead則常常改說「give and take」。Scientists科學家use it about animals that help each other in turn會用這個字形容互相輪流幫忙的動物。

The heart of the word is that the giving goes both ways and is similar in kind. A gift with nothing expected back is generosity, not reciprocity.

The heart of the word這個字的核心is that the giving goes both ways and is similar in kind是「給予是雙向的、而且性質相似」這件事。A gift with nothing expected back一份不期望回報的禮物is generosity, not reciprocity叫做慷慨，而不是互惠。