Not allowed by law. In plain meaning it is the same as 'illegal', but the two words live in different rooms, and that is the part worth learning.

Not allowed by law不合法律允許 in plain meaning就字面意思 it它 is the same as 'illegal'跟 'illegal' 一樣 but但 the two words這兩個字 live in different rooms活在不同的房間裡 and而 that這 is the part worth learning是值得學的地方

'Illegal' is what ordinary people say: illegal parking, illegal drugs, it's illegal to do that. 'Unlawful' is the word of lawyers, police reports, contracts, and court judgments: 'unlawful killing', 'unlawful assembly', 'unlawful dismissal', 'entering the premises unlawfully'.

'Illegal' is what ordinary people say'illegal' 是一般人常說的字 illegal parking, illegal drugs, it's illegal to do that像 illegal parking（違規停車）、illegal drugs（毒品）、it's illegal to do that（那樣做是違法的） 'unlawful' is the word of lawyers, police reports, contracts, and court judgments 'unlawful' 則是律師、警方報告、合約、法院判決用的字 'unlawful killing', 'unlawful assembly', 'unlawful dismissal', 'entering the premises unlawfully'像 'unlawful killing'（非法殺人）、'unlawful assembly'（非法集會）、'unlawful dismissal'（非法解僱）、'entering the premises unlawfully'（非法進入該處所）

If you hear 'unlawful' on the news, you are usually hearing someone quote an official document.

If you hear 'unlawful' on the news如果你在新聞上聽到 'unlawful' you你 are usually hearing someone quote an official document通常是有人在引用一份官方文件

So a Taiwanese student writing an essay or an email should normally choose 'illegal'; choose 'unlawful' when you are writing in a legal register or naming a fixed legal phrase.

So所以 a Taiwanese student寫作文或寫信的台灣學生 writing an essay or an email should normally choose 'illegal'通常應該選 'illegal' choose 'unlawful'選用 'unlawful' when you are writing in a legal register or naming a fixed legal phrase則是在寫法律語體或引用固定法律用語的時候

There is also a real difference lawyers make, though it is not absolute. 'Illegal' tends to mean 'there is a law forbidding this, and breaking it is a crime'. 'Unlawful' is wider and softer: it can simply mean 'the law does not support this' — the act may be invalid, or may make you liable to be sued, without anyone being a criminal.

There is還有 also a real difference lawyers make律師之間會做的一個真正的區分 though it is not absolute雖然這不是絕對的 'illegal' tends to mean'illegal' 通常意思是 'there is a law forbidding this, and breaking it is a crime.'「有法律禁止這件事，違反就是犯罪」 'unlawful' is wider and softer'unlawful' 則更寬、更軟 it它 can simply mean可以只是指 'the law does not support this'「法律不支持這件事」 — the act那個行為 may be invalid可能無效 or或 may make you liable to be sued可能讓你被告 without anyone being a criminal但沒有人因此成為罪犯

That is why a court says a killing was 'unlawful' when it does not want to name a particular crime, and why an employer's decision can be 'unlawful' when nobody goes to prison for it.

That這 is why a court就是為什麼法院 says a killing was 'unlawful'會說一起殺人是 'unlawful' when it does not want to name a particular crime是因為它不想指名是哪一種罪 and而 why an employer's decision can be 'unlawful'為什麼雇主的決定可能是 'unlawful' when nobody goes to prison for it即使沒有人因此坐牢

One classic phrase to know: in English inquests, 'death by unlawful killing' is a formal verdict.

One classic phrase to know有個經典用語值得知道 in English inquests在英國的死因調查裡 'death by unlawful killing''death by unlawful killing'（因非法殺人致死） is a formal verdict是一種正式的裁決

And note the near-twin 'lawless', which is a different word entirely — it describes a place or person with no law at all, not one act against the law.

And而且 note要注意 the near-twin 'lawless'跟它很像的 'lawless' which is a different word entirely其實是完全不同的字 — it它 describes a place or person with no law at all形容一個完全沒有法律的地方或人 not one act against the law而不是指一個違法的行為