Zoning is the system a city government uses to decide what may be built where. The planners draw a map, cut the city into areas — zones — and give each area a rule: this area is for houses only, that one for shops, that one for factories, this one for parks. If you own land, you may only build what the zoning for your area allows. It is why a steel factory does not appear next to a primary school, and why a quiet street of homes stays quiet.

Zoning is the system a city government uses to decide what may be built where分區管制是城市政府用來決定什麼地方可以蓋什麼的制度. The planners draw a map規劃人員畫一張地圖, cut the city into areas — zones把城市切成一塊塊的區域, and give each area a rule並給每一區訂規則: this area is for houses only這一區只能蓋住宅, that one for shops那一區給商店, that one for factories那一區給工廠, this one for parks這一區給公園. If you own land如果你擁有土地, you may only build what the zoning for your area allows你只能蓋你那一區分區管制所允許的東西. It is why a steel factory does not appear next to a primary school這就是為什麼鋼鐵工廠不會出現在小學旁邊, and why a quiet street of homes stays quiet也是為什麼一條安靜的住宅街能一直保持安靜.

The word is a noun, usually uncountable, and it often works in front of another noun: zoning laws, zoning rules, zoning regulations, a zoning change, a zoning board. You will hear it constantly in news stories about housing, rent, and city building — especially American news, where zoning fights are a big political subject. People argue about it because zoning decides how many homes can exist, and that decides what rent costs.

The word is a noun, usually uncountable這個字是名詞，通常不可數, and it often works in front of another noun而且常常放在另一個名詞前面: zoning laws分區管制法, zoning rules分區規則, zoning regulations分區法規, a zoning change分區異動, a zoning board分區委員會. You will hear it constantly in news stories about housing, rent, and city building你在住宅、房租、城市建設的新聞裡會一直聽到它 — especially American news尤其是美國新聞, where zoning fights are a big political subject那裡分區管制的爭議是很大的政治議題. People argue about it人們爭論這件事 because zoning decides how many homes can exist因為分區管制決定了能有多少住宅, and that decides what rent costs而這又決定了房租多少.

The verb behind it is 'to zone', and you will very often meet the past participle form: 'this land is zoned for housing', 'the area was rezoned last year'. That is probably the most common way ordinary people use the idea.

The verb behind it is 'to zone'背後的動詞是 'to zone', and you will very often meet the past participle form而你很常會遇到過去分詞的形式: 'this land is zoned for housing', 'the area was rezoned last year'像 'this land is zoned for housing'、'the area was rezoned last year' 這樣的說法. That is probably the most common way ordinary people use the idea這大概是一般人最常用到這個概念的方式.

One honest note. This is very much a Western, especially American, way of talking about city planning. Taiwan does the same kind of thing under different names, so the English word does not map onto one single Chinese term perfectly — 都市計畫 covers the whole planning process, while 土地使用分區 is the closer match for zoning itself.

One honest note老實說一句. This is very much a Western, especially American, way of talking about city planning這其實是很西方、尤其是很美式的城市規劃講法. Taiwan does the same kind of thing under different names台灣用不同的名稱做類似的事, so the English word does not map onto one single Chinese term perfectly所以這個英文字沒辦法完美對應到單一一個中文詞 — 都市計畫 covers the whole planning process都市計畫涵蓋整個規劃過程, while 土地使用分區 is the closer match for zoning itself而土地使用分區才是比較接近 zoning 本身的說法.