Meaning and Usage
"法定" (fǎdìng) is an adjective meaning "stipulated by law" or "statutory." It is used to describe things that are officially defined or mandated by legal regulations.
Common Contexts
You will often see "法定" in contexts related to holidays (法定假日), ages (法定年龄), representatives (法定代表人), and other legal standards.
Collocations
- 法定假日: statutory holiday, used when referring to holidays mandated by law.
- 法定年龄: legal age, the minimum age set by law for certain rights or responsibilities.
- 法定代表人: legal representative, the person authorized by law to act on behalf of an organization.
Usage Notes
"法定" is formal and mostly used in legal, official, or administrative contexts. It is not used in casual conversation. Avoid confusing it with "法律" which means "law" in general; "法定" specifically emphasizes something is prescribed or fixed by law.
Summary
Use "法定" when you want to emphasize that something is legally established or required. It helps clarify that the matter is not just customary or suggested, but officially mandated.