A tsar was the male ruler — the emperor — of Russia in the days before the revolution of 1917. Nicholas II was the last one. A tsar held enormous power, ruling by inheritance rather than by election, and the word carries that weight of total, unquestioned authority.

A tsar一個沙皇 was是 the male ruler男性統治者——the emperor也就是皇帝——of Russia統治俄國的 in the days before the revolution of 1917在1917年革命之前的那段時期。Nicholas II尼古拉二世 was是 the last one最後一位。A tsar一個沙皇 held enormous power握有極大的權力，ruling by inheritance rather than by election靠世襲而不是選舉來統治，and而且 the word carries that weight of total, unquestioned authority這個字帶著那種絕對、不容質疑的權威份量。

His wife or a woman ruling in her own right was a tsarina. You will also see it spelled czar, especially in older books and in American writing; tsar is the more common spelling in Britain today and closer to how the Russian sounds. Both are correct.

His wife他的妻子 or a woman ruling in her own right或是自己親自統治的女性 was是 a tsarina叫做tsarina。You will also see it spelled czar你也會看到拼成czar的寫法，especially in older books and in American writing尤其是在比較舊的書和美式寫法裡；tsartsar is the more common spelling in Britain today是今天英國比較常用的拼法 and closer to how the Russian sounds而且比較接近俄文的發音。Both are correct兩種拼法都對。

There is a lively modern use worth knowing: in politics and news, a tsar is a person the government puts in charge of one problem with wide powers to fix it — a drugs tsar, a housing tsar. That use is informal, journalistic, and always a bit of an exaggeration, hinting that this person can simply order things done.

There is a lively modern use worth knowing有一個值得知道、還很活躍的現代用法：in politics and news在政治和新聞裡，a tsar一個tsar is是 a person the government puts in charge of one problem政府指派來負責處理某個問題的人 with wide powers to fix it擁有很大的權力去解決它——a drugs tsar, a housing tsara drugs tsar（毒品問題的負責人）、a housing tsar（住房問題的負責人）。That use這種用法 is informal, journalistic, and always a bit of an exaggeration是口語、新聞式，而且總是帶點誇張，hinting that this person can simply order things done暗示這個人可以直接下令把事情辦成。

Note that the word applies to Russia and some neighbouring lands, especially Bulgaria and Serbia in earlier centuries; do not use it for kings elsewhere.

Note that請注意 the word applies to Russia and some neighbouring lands這個字用在俄國和一些鄰近地區，especially Bulgaria and Serbia in earlier centuries尤其是早期世紀的保加利亞和塞爾維亞；do not use it for kings elsewhere不要拿它套用在別的地方的國王身上。