A very high officer of the state in the old Muslim empires — above all the Ottoman Empire, but also in Persia, Egypt, and the Mughal empire in India. The vizier ran the government day to day: he handled money, the army, the courts, and the paperwork, while the sultan or caliph stayed above it all.

A very high officer of the state in the old Muslim empires這是舊時穆斯林帝國裡一個位階非常高的官員, above all the Ottoman Empire尤其是鄂圖曼帝國, but also in Persia, Egypt, and the Mughal empire in India不過波斯、埃及和印度的蒙兀兒帝國裡也有。The vizier ran the government day to day這個vizier負責日常的政務: he handled money, the army, the courts, and the paperwork他管財政、軍隊、司法和公文, while the sultan or caliph stayed above it all而蘇丹或哈里發則高高在上,不理這些細節。

The most powerful one, the head of all the others, was called the grand vizier, and in the Ottoman Empire he was close to what we would now call a prime minister — he could sign treaties and lead armies, and he kept the sultan's seal.

The most powerful one, the head of all the others最有權力的那一位,也就是其他人的頭, was called the grand vizier被稱為grand vizier(大宰相), and in the Ottoman Empire he was close to what we would now call a prime minister而在鄂圖曼帝國,他的角色接近我們現在說的首相 —— he could sign treaties and lead armies他可以簽條約、帶兵打仗, and he kept the sultan's seal還保管蘇丹的印璽。

It is a historical word: no country has a vizier today, so you will meet it in history books, in translations of the Arabian Nights, and in films and games set in a fantasy Middle East.

It is a historical word這是一個歷史用語: no country has a vizier today現在沒有任何國家有vizier這個官職, so you will meet it in history books所以你會在歷史書裡看到它, in translations of the Arabian Nights在《天方夜譚》的翻譯裡, and in films and games set in a fantasy Middle East還有以奇幻中東為背景的電影和遊戲裡。

Because of those stories, the word has picked up a second flavour in English: the scheming vizier, the clever adviser standing behind the throne, quietly plotting to take it. That is a Western storytelling habit, not history, but it is strong enough that if you say vizier to an English speaker, many of them picture a villain.

Because of those stories因為這些故事, the word has picked up a second flavour in English這個字在英文裡多了第二種味道: the scheming vizier就是那種老謀深算的vizier, the clever adviser standing behind the throne一個站在王座後面的聰明顧問, quietly plotting to take it暗中謀劃要奪走王位。That is a Western storytelling habit這是西方說故事的習慣, not history不是真實歷史, but it is strong enough但這個印象強到, that if you say vizier to an English speaker只要你對英語人士說vizier這個字, many of them picture a villain很多人腦中就會浮現一個反派。

Two spellings you may see for related words: wazir and vizir. All the same office.

Two spellings you may see for related words相關的字你可能會看到兩種拼法: wazir and vizir就是wazir和vizir。All the same office指的都是同一個官職。