Yugoslavia was a country in southeast Europe, in the part of Europe called the Balkans. It was put together after the First World War, in the 1920s, out of several small nations that spoke related languages, and it lasted until the early 1990s. It was made of six republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia (now North Macedonia), Serbia and Montenegro. For much of its life it was a communist country, but it kept apart from the Soviet Union and went its own way.

Yugoslavia was a country in southeast Europe南斯拉夫是東南歐的一個國家，in the part of Europe called the Balkans位於歐洲叫做巴爾幹的那個區域。It was put together after the First World War它是在第一次世界大戰之後組成的，in the 1920s在1920年代，out of several small nations that spoke related languages由幾個講相近語言的小國組成，and it lasted until the early 1990s一直存在到1990年代初。It was made of six republics它由六個共和國組成：Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia (now North Macedonia), Serbia and Montenegro斯洛維尼亞、克羅埃西亞、波士尼亞與赫塞哥維納、馬其頓（現在的北馬其頓）、塞爾維亞和蒙特內哥羅。For much of its life它有很長一段時間 it was a communist country是共產國家，but it kept apart from the Soviet Union但它跟蘇聯保持距離，and went its own way走自己的路。

In the 1990s it broke apart, and the breaking was terrible — a series of wars, with tens of thousands killed and cities under siege. One by one the republics became separate countries. Serbia and Montenegro stayed joined until 2003 and then also separated. Today the name Yugoslavia is on no map.

In the 1990s在1990年代 it broke apart它分裂了，and the breaking was terrible而且分裂的過程很慘烈——a series of wars一連串的戰爭，with tens of thousands killed and cities under siege數萬人喪生，城市遭到圍困。One by one各共和國一個接一個 the republics became separate countries變成獨立的國家。Serbia and Montenegro stayed joined until 2003塞爾維亞和蒙特內哥羅一直合在一起到2003年 and then also separated然後也分開了。Today今天 the name Yugoslavia is on no map地圖上已經沒有南斯拉夫這個名字了。

Now the word itself. Yugoslav is the adjective and also the person: a Yugoslav passport, he was a Yugoslav. Yugoslavia is the country. Yugoslavian is another adjective form you will meet; both are used, with Yugoslav slightly more common. Because the country is gone, you will almost always see it with words like former or ex- in front: the former Yugoslavia.

Now the word itself現在來看這個字本身。Yugoslav is the adjective and also the personYugoslav是形容詞，也可以指人：a Yugoslav passport南斯拉夫護照，he was a Yugoslav他是南斯拉夫人。Yugoslavia is the countryYugoslavia是國名。Yugoslavian is another adjective form you will meetYugoslavian是你也會遇到的另一個形容詞形式；both are used兩個都有人用，with Yugoslav slightly more commonYugoslav稍微常見一點。Because the country is gone因為這個國家已經不存在了，you will almost always see it with words like former or ex- in front你幾乎都會看到前面加former或ex-：the former Yugoslavia前南斯拉夫。

The meaning of the name is a small gift to a learner: jug means south in the Slavic languages, so Yugoslavia is simply the land of the south Slavs. The Slavs are a large family of peoples across eastern Europe — Russians, Poles, Czechs, Serbs and many more. So the country's name was really a description of who lived there.

The meaning of the name is a small gift to a learner這個名字的意思對學習者來說是個小禮物：jug means south in the Slavic languagesjug在斯拉夫語裡是「南方」的意思，so Yugoslavia is simply the land of the south Slavs所以Yugoslavia就是「南斯拉夫人的土地」。The Slavs are a large family of peoples across eastern Europe斯拉夫人是橫跨東歐的一大群民族——Russians, Poles, Czechs, Serbs and many more俄羅斯人、波蘭人、捷克人、塞爾維亞人等等許多族群。So the country's name was really a description of who lived there所以這個國家的名字其實就是在描述住在那裡的是誰。