法治 fǎzhì rule of law
rule of law; to rule by law
How to remember 法治: 法 law + 治 to administer = rule of law.
Characters
How it is used
- Means 'rule of law' - governing society through law rather than personal will - 依法治国 (yīfǎ zhìguó) to run the country according to law.
- Contrasts with 人治 (rénzhì, rule by men/personal rule) - the classic pair in Chinese political discourse.
- Homophone of 法制 (legal system); 法治 is the ideal/principle, 法制 the concrete institutions.