A warlord is a military leader who holds real power over an area by force, without a government giving him the right to. He has his own soldiers, who are loyal to him and not to a country. He may collect his own taxes, control roads, and run the place as if it were his.

A warlord is a military leaderwarlord指的是一個軍事領袖 who holds real power over an area by force，靠武力實際掌控一塊地方 without a government giving him the right to，而不是政府授權給他的。 He has his own soldiers他有自己的士兵 who are loyal to him and not to a country，這些士兵效忠的是他，不是國家。 He may collect his own taxes他可能自己收稅 control roads、控制道路 and run the place as if it were his，把這塊地方當成自己的來管理。

You see the word in news about countries where the central government has become weak — the land splits, and each piece falls to whoever has guns.

You see the word in news about countries where the central government has become weak在中央政府變弱的國家新聞裡常會看到這個字 the land splits——土地分裂 and each piece falls to whoever has guns，每一塊都落到手上有槍的人手裡。

It is not a job title and not a rank; nobody is appointed warlord. It is what other people call him. The word carries judgement: it says this power is not proper, however real it is.

It is not a job title and not a rankwarlord不是職稱，也不是官階 nobody is appointed warlord；沒有人是被任命為warlord的。 It is what other people call him這是別人給他的稱呼。 The word carries judgement這個字帶著批判 it says this power is not proper：它在說這種權力並不正當 however real it is，不管這權力多麼真實。

Historians also use it for the past — Chinese history from 1916 to 1928 is called the Warlord Era in English, and Japan's old regional lords are sometimes called warlords in English books.

Historians also use it for the past歷史學家也用這個字講過去 Chinese history from 1916 to 1928 is called the Warlord Era in English——英文把1916到1928年的中國歷史稱為the Warlord Era軍閥時期 and Japan's old regional lords are sometimes called warlords in English books，英文書裡有時也把日本古代的地方領主叫做warlords。

It is a countable noun: a warlord, local warlords. You may also meet it stretched for fun — a business writer might call a fierce boss a warlord — but that is a joke that leans on the fear in the real word.

It is a countable nounwarlord是可數名詞 a warlord, local warlords，可以說a warlord一個軍閥、local warlords地方軍閥。 You may also meet it stretched for fun你也可能看到這個字被拿來開玩笑地引申用 a business writer might call a fierce boss a warlord——商業寫作裡可能把很兇的老闆叫做a warlord but that is a joke that leans on the fear in the real word，但這個玩笑，靠的就是這個字原本帶來的那種恐懼感。