A political leader — but the word carries respect built into it. Calling someone a statesman says you think they are wise, honest, and thinking about the long future of the country rather than about winning the next election.

A political leader一位政治領袖——but the word carries respect built into it但這個字本身就帶著敬意。Calling someone a statesman把某人稱作statesman，says you think they are wise, honest表示你認為他有智慧、誠實，and thinking about the long future of the country而且在想國家長遠的未來，rather than about winning the next election而不是只想著贏下一次選舉。

This is why the word is often set against politician: people say "he is a politician, not a statesman", meaning he plays games for power instead of leading. There is an old line that a politician thinks about the next election and a statesman thinks about the next generation.

This is why the word is often set against politician這就是為什麼這個字常常被拿來跟politician做對比：people say "he is a politician, not a statesman"大家會說「he is a politician, not a statesman」（他是政客，不是政治家），meaning he plays games for power instead of leading意思是他在玩權力遊戲，而不是在領導。There is an old line有一句老話：that a politician thinks about the next election說政客想的是下一次選舉，and a statesman thinks about the next generation而政治家想的是下一代。

Because of that praise inside it, you cannot use it neutrally. A newspaper will describe an ordinary member of parliament as a politician; statesman is saved for the big, senior, usually older figures, and very often for people who are already dead or retired — history books are full of it.

Because of that praise inside it因為它裡面帶著這種讚美，you cannot use it neutrally你沒辦法中性地使用這個字。A newspaper will describe an ordinary member of parliament as a politician報紙會把一般的國會議員稱作politician；statesman is saved for the big, senior, usually older figuresstatesman則是留給重量級、資深、通常年紀較大的人物，and very often for people who are already dead or retired而且常常是已經過世或退休的人——history books are full of it歷史書裡到處都是這樣用。

It also appears in elder statesman, which can mean an old respected leader, or, playfully, the most senior person in any field: "the elder statesman of Taiwanese cinema".

It also appears in elder statesman它也會出現在elder statesman這個說法裡，which can mean an old respected leader可以指一位受敬重的老領袖，or, playfully或者開玩笑地 the most senior person in any field指任何領域裡資歷最深的人："the elder statesman of Taiwanese cinema"像「the elder statesman of Taiwanese cinema」（台灣電影界的元老）。

Now the awkward part. Statesman ends in -man, and it has usually meant a man. Stateswoman exists and is used, but far less.

Now the awkward part接下來是比較尷尬的部分。Statesman ends in -manStatesman這個字結尾是-man，and it has usually meant a man而且它通常指的就是男性。Stateswoman existsStateswoman這個字是存在的，and is used也真的有人在用，but far less但少很多。

Many writers today avoid the whole problem by writing statesperson, or more often just world leader or senior figure. Younger writers use statesman much less than their grandparents did.

Many writers today現在很多作者 avoid the whole problem乾脆避開這整個問題，by writing statesperson直接寫statesperson，or more often just或者更常直接用 world leader or senior figureworld leader或senior figure（世界領袖、資深人物）。Younger writers比較年輕的作者 use statesman much less than their grandparents did用statesman這個字比他們的祖父母那一輩少很多。