合法 héfǎ lawful
lawful; legitimate; legal
How to remember 合法: 合 join together + 法 law = lawful.
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How it is used
- Adjective for conformity to law: 合法身份 (héfǎ shēnfèn) - legal status, 合法权益 (héfǎ quányì) - legal rights and interests.
- Its opposite 非法 (fēifǎ), illegal, is just as common and often paired in news contexts - 非法停车 (fēifǎ tíngchē) illegal parking.
- Different from 合理 (hélǐ), reasonable - something can be 合法 but not 合理 (legal but unfair), or vice versa.