Township has two lives, and which one you meet depends on the country.

Township這個字 has two lives有兩種面貌，which one you meet 你會遇到哪一種 depends on 要看 the country 是哪個國家。

In the US and Canada, a township is a unit of local government — a division of a county, smaller than a city, with its own small council that handles roads, snow clearing, local rules. It is an administrative box drawn on a map, and it may be mostly farmland with only a few hundred people in it. In much of the American Midwest these boxes are literally squares, six miles by six miles, because the land was surveyed on a grid before people moved in. So an American 'township' can contain no town at all — which surprises everyone learning the word.

In the US and Canada 在美國和加拿大，a township is township是 a unit of local government 地方政府的一個單位——a division of a county 比縣小的一個劃分，smaller than a city 比城市更小，with its own small council 有自己的小議會 that handles roads, snow clearing, local rules 負責道路、除雪、地方規定這些事。It is 它是 an administrative box drawn on a map 畫在地圖上的一個行政方塊，and it may be mostly farmland 裡面可能大多是農地 with only a few hundred people in it 只有幾百人住在裡面。In much of the American Midwest 在美國中西部的大部分地方 these boxes are literally squares 這些方塊真的是正方形，six miles by six miles 六英里見方，because the land was surveyed on a grid 因為土地是先用方格測量好的 before people moved in 在有人搬進去之前。So an American 'township' 所以美國的township can contain no town at all 裡面可能完全沒有一個town（城鎮）——which surprises everyone learning the word 這常常讓學這個字的人很驚訝。

In South Africa, a township is something completely different and much heavier: a settlement on the edge of a city where black South Africans were forced to live under apartheid. Soweto is the famous one. These places were built out of segregation, and although apartheid is over, the townships and their poverty remain. If you read the word in a news story about South Africa, this is what it means, and the word carries all that history with it.

In South Africa 在南非，a township is township是 something completely different and much heavier 完全不同、而且沉重得多的東西：a settlement on the edge of a city 一個位在城市邊緣的聚居地，where black South Africans were forced to live 黑人南非人被迫住在那裡 under apartheid 在種族隔離制度下。Soweto Soweto（索維托） is the famous one 是最有名的一個。These places 這些地方 were built out of segregation 是種族隔離造出來的，and although apartheid is over 雖然種族隔離已經結束，the townships and their poverty remain township和裡面的貧窮還留著。If you read the word in a news story about South Africa 如果你在一篇關於南非的新聞報導裡讀到這個字，this is what it means 指的就是這個意思，and the word carries all that history with it 這個字也帶著這整段歷史。

You will also see township used in official English for administrative areas in other countries, including here — Taiwan's 鄉 and 鎮 are translated as township in government documents, which is why you will meet the word on English-language maps and forms.

You will also see township used 你也會看到township被用在 in official English 官方英文裡 for administrative areas in other countries 指其他國家的行政區域，including here 包括台灣——Taiwan's 鄉 and 鎮 台灣的鄉和鎮 are translated as township 被翻成township in government documents 在政府文件裡，which is why 這就是為什麼 you will meet the word 你會遇到這個字 on English-language maps and forms 在英文地圖和表格上。

The key thing to hold on to: township is an administrative word, not a description of what a place looks like. A town is a place. A township is a line on a map with a government attached.

The key thing to hold on to 要記住的重點是：township is an administrative word township是一個行政上的字，not a description of what a place looks like 不是在形容一個地方長什麼樣子。A town town（城鎮） is a place 是一個地方；A township 而township is a line on a map 是地圖上的一條線 with a government attached 附帶著一個政府。