📚 Year 9 Edexcel Law: Rapid Memorisation of Legal Vocabulary | Year 9 Edexcel 法律：词汇术语速记指南
For Year 9 students taking Edexcel Law, mastering legal terminology early is like learning the alphabet before writing. These words form the foundation of every case, statute, and legal argument you will encounter. This guide breaks down essential legal terms, offering simple memory tricks, clear definitions, and bilingual support to ensure you can recall them quickly and accurately under exam pressure.
对于 Edexcel 法律 Year 9 的学生来说，尽早掌握法律术语就像在写作前学会字母一样。这些词汇构成了你将来遇到的每一个案例、成文法和法律论证的基础。本指南拆解了核心法律术语，提供简单的记忆技巧、清晰的定义和双语支持，确保你能在考试压力下快速准确地回忆起来。
1. Actus Reus (Guilty Act) | 犯罪行为
‘Actus Reus’ is the Latin term for the physical element of a crime – the act or omission that constitutes the forbidden conduct. Without an actus reus, generally there is no crime. To memorise this, split it: ‘Actus’ sounds like ‘act’, and ‘Reus’ recalls ‘reus’ meaning ‘accused’. So think of ‘the act of the accused’.
‘Actus Reus’ 是拉丁语，指犯罪的物理要素——构成禁止行为的行为或不作为。没有犯罪行为，通常就不存在犯罪。记忆方法：拆分开来——’Actus’ 听起来像 ‘act’（行为），’Reus’ 让人联想到 ‘被告’。所以记住 ‘被告的行为’。
In criminal law, actus reus must be voluntary. If someone pushes you and you knock over a vase, you have not committed the actus reus of criminal damage because the movement was involuntary. Always link the term with the idea of a voluntary physical act or a failure to act when there is a duty.
在刑法中，犯罪行为必须是自愿的。如果有人推了你，你撞倒了花瓶，你并没有构成刑事毁坏的犯罪行为，因为动作是非自愿的。始终把这个词与自愿的身体举动或当负有义务时不作为的概念联系起来。
2. Mens Rea (Guilty Mind) | 犯罪意图
‘Mens Rea’ translates as ‘guilty mind’. It refers to the mental element of a crime – the intention, knowledge, recklessness, or negligence that accompanies the actus reus. A handy memory hook: ‘Mens’ is like ‘mental’, and ‘Rea’ rhymes with ‘rea’ in ‘reason’. Picture a mind thinking about a guilty reason.
‘Mens Rea’ 翻译为 ‘犯罪意图’。它指犯罪的心理要素——伴随着犯罪行为而存在的故意、明知、轻率或过失。一个方便的联想：’Mens’ 像 ‘mental’（心理的），’Rea’ 与 ‘reason’（理由）中的 ‘rea’ 押韵。想象一个头脑正在思考一个犯罪的缘由。
Different crimes require different levels of mens rea. For murder, you need ‘malice aforethought’ – intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. For theft, you need ‘intention to permanently deprive’. Remember, without mens rea, an act alone is not always a crime (strict liability is the exception, which we will cover later).
不同的罪行需要不同程度的犯罪意图。谋杀需要 ‘恶意预谋’——意图杀害或造成严重身体伤害。盗窃需要 ‘永久剥夺的意图’。记住，没有犯罪意图，单有行为并不总是构成犯罪（严格责任是例外，我们稍后会讲）。
3. Strict Liability | 严格责任
Strict liability offences are crimes where the prosecution does not need to prove mens rea – only the actus reus is required. Think of parking violations or selling alcohol to a minor: you can be guilty even if you honestly believed the buyer was over 18. Memorise it as ‘strict = no excuses’, because the law imposes liability strictly, regardless of your state of mind.
严格责任罪行是指控方无需证明犯罪意图的罪行——只需证明犯罪行为存在。想想违章停车或向未成年人售酒：即使你真诚地相信买家超过18岁，你仍然可能构成犯罪。记作 ‘严格 = 无借口’，因为法律严格施加责任，不论你的心理状态。
Examples include many regulatory offences, like health and safety breaches, and environmental crimes. When you see a statutory offence that does not specify a mental element, suspect strict liability. This concept highlights that sometimes the law prioritises protection over punishing a guilty mind.
例子包括许多监管性犯罪，如违反健康安全规定和环境犯罪。当你看到一项成文法罪行没有规定心理要素时，就怀疑是严格责任。这个概念强调，有时法律优先保护社会而非惩罚犯罪意图。
4. Omission | 不作为
An omission is a failure to act when there is a legal duty to do so. The general rule is that a person is not liable for failing to act – you can walk past a drowning child and not be guilty of murder. But if you are the child’s parent or have assumed responsibility, you can be convicted. Memory trick: ‘Oh, I missed my duty!’ → ‘Omission’.
不作为是指在有法律义务的情况下没有作为。一般规则是，一个人不因不作为而承担责任——你可以路过一个溺水的孩子而不犯谋杀罪。但如果你是孩子的父母或者已经承担了责任，你可能会被定罪。记忆技巧：’哦，我错过了（missed）我的责任！’ → ‘Omission’（不作为）。
Legal duties can arise from statute, contract, relationship (parent–child), voluntary assumption of care, or creating a dangerous situation. For example, in the case of R v Gibbins and Proctor (1918), a father and stepmother were convicted of murder for starving a child to death because they had a duty to feed her. Use the image of a ‘missed action required by law’ to lock in the term.
法律义务可以来自成文法、合同、亲属关系（亲子）、自愿承担照顾责任或制造危险状况。例如，在 R v Gibbins and Proctor (1918) 案中，一位父亲和继母因饿死一个孩子被判谋杀罪，因为他们有喂养她的义务。用 ‘法律要求的行为被忽略’ 这个画面来牢记这个术语。
5. Duty of Care | 注意义务
In tort law, particularly negligence, a ‘duty of care’ is a legal obligation to avoid acts or omissions that could reasonably be foreseen to harm others. The neighbour principle from Donoghue v Stevenson (1932) asks: ‘Who is my neighbour? Anyone I can reasonably foresee would be affected by my actions.’ To memorise: imagine you have a ‘duty’ to care for your neighbour – not the person next door, but anyone within reach of your actions.
在侵权法（尤其是过失侵权）中，’注意义务’ 是一项法律义务，要求避免能够合理预见会伤害他人的作为或不作为。Donoghue v Stevenson (1932) 案中的邻人原则问道：’谁是我的邻人？任何我可以合理预见会受到我行为影响的人。’ 记忆方法：想象你对 ‘邻人’ 负有 ‘注意’ 的义务——不是隔壁的人，而是任何在你行为范围内的人。
The concept is central to establishing negligence. If you owe a duty, you must meet the standard of a ‘reasonable person’. A doctor, for instance, has a higher duty of care to patients than an ordinary person. Link the term to ‘duty’ + ‘care’ → ‘responsibility to be careful towards others’.
这个概念是确立过失侵权行为的核心。如果你负有注意义务，你必须达到 ‘合理人’ 的标准。例如，医生对病人负有比普通人更高的注意义务。将这个术语与 ‘责任’ + ‘关心’ 联系起来 → ‘对他人小心谨慎的责任’。
6. Negligence | 过失
Negligence is a tort (civil wrong) that occurs when a person breaches a duty of care owed to another, causing damage. The three-part test: duty, breach, and damage. The word ‘negligence’ sounds like ‘neglect-gence’: think of someone who neglects to be careful, causing harm. It’s carelessness with legal consequences.
过失是一种侵权（民事错误），发生在一个人违反了对他人的注意义务并造成损害时。三步检验：义务、违反义务、损害。’Negligence’ 这个词听起来像 ‘neglect（疏忽）-gence’：想象一个疏忽大意的人造成了损害。这是具有法律后果的粗心大意。
Famous cases include Donoghue v Stevenson (the snail in the ginger beer bottle). The claimant did not need to prove a contract with the manufacturer; the duty of care was directly owed. Memorise the checklist: 1) Did the defendant owe a duty? 2) Did they breach it by falling below the standard of a reasonable person? 3) Did the breach cause the loss? Yes to all three = negligence.
著名案例包括 Donoghue v Stevenson（姜汁啤酒瓶中的蜗牛）。原告无需证明与制造商有合同关系；注意义务是直接负有的。记住这个清单：1) 被告是否负有义务？2) 被告是否因未达到合理人标准而违反了义务？3) 违反义务是否造成了损失？三项都满足 = 过失。
7. Breach of Contract | 违约
A breach of contract occurs when one party fails to perform any term of a contract without a lawful excuse. It could be complete non-performance, partial performance, or defective performance. Think of a ‘breach’ as a ‘break’ in what was promised. The word captures a broken contract – like a breach in a castle wall, the agreement is broken.
违约发生在合同一方无合法理由未履行合同的任何条款时。可以是完全不履行、部分履行或瑕疵履行。把 ‘breach’ 想象成承诺中的一次 ‘破裂’。这个词描绘出一个被破坏的合同——如同城堡墙壁上的缺口，协议被打破了。
Remedies for breach include damages, specific performance, or injunction. To recall the term, use ‘breach = break + each’: each party broke their promise in some way. Association: ‘If you breach, you break the deal.’ In the famous case Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co (1893), the company’s refusal to pay the reward after the plaintiff used the smoke ball as directed was a breach of their unilateral contract.
违约的救济包括损害赔偿金、特定履行或禁令。为了记住这个术语，使用 ‘breach = break + each’：每一方都以某种方式破坏了自己的承诺。联想：’如果你违约，你就破坏了协议。’ 在著名的 Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co (1893) 案中，公司拒绝支付原告按指示使用烟弹后的报酬，构成了对其单方合同的违约。
8. Damages | 损害赔偿金
In civil law, ‘damages’ is the sum of money awarded by a court to compensate a claimant for a loss or injury. It is the primary remedy in tort and contract law. Do not confuse ‘damages’ with ‘damage’ (the harm itself); damages are the monetary remedy. Memorise by thinking of a ‘money dam’ that holds back financial loss – once released, it compensates the victim.
在民法中，’损害赔偿金’ 是法院判给原告以弥补其损失或伤害的金钱数额。它是侵权法和合同法中的主要救济手段。不要将 ‘damages’（损害赔偿金）与 ‘damage’（损害本身）混淆；damages 是金钱救济。记忆方法：想象一个 ‘金钱水坝’ 阻挡了经济损失——一旦放水，它赔偿受害者。
There are various types: compensatory damages (to put the claimant in the position they would have been in), nominal damages (a small sum to acknowledge a right was infringed), and punitive damages (rare, to punish). The aim is usually restitution, not punishment. The key phrase: ‘damages make good the wrong’.
损害赔偿金有多种类型：补偿性损害赔偿（使原告回到无侵害时的状态）、名义赔偿（少量金额以确认权利受到侵犯）和惩罚性赔偿（罕见，旨在惩罚）。目的通常是恢复原状，而非惩罚。关键短句：’损害赔偿金以弥补错误’。
9. Injunction | 禁令
An injunction is an equitable remedy in civil law – a court order that requires a party to do (mandatory injunction) or to stop doing (prohibitory injunction) a particular act. The term sounds like ‘in junction’ – picture a judicial barrier at a crossroads. When damages are inadequate, the court may grant an injunction to prevent unjust conduct.
禁令是民法中的一种衡平法救济——一种法院命令，要求一方做某事（强制性禁令）或停止做某事（禁止性禁令）。这个词听起来像 ‘在 junction（交叉口）’——想象在十字路口的一个司法路障。当损害赔偿金不足以救济时，法院可以授予禁令以防止不公正行为。
Examples include stopping noisy neighbours, prohibiting publication of private information, or freezing assets. To memorise, connect it with ‘in – just – action’: an injunction is given to stop an unjust action. In Warner Bros v Nelson (1937), the studio obtained an injunction to prevent Bette Davis from working for another company during her contract.
例子包括制止噪音邻居、禁止发布私人信息或冻结资产。记忆方法：与 ‘in – just – action’（不公正的行为）连接起来：禁令是为阻止不公正行为而颁发的。在 Warner Bros v Nelson (1937) 案中，制片方获得禁令，禁止 Bette Davis 在合同期内为其他公司工作。
10. Statute vs Common Law | 成文法与普通法
Statute law is law made by Parliament (Acts or legislation). Common law is law made by judges through decisions in courts (case law). A simple mnemonic: ‘Statute is state-made; Common is court-made.’ The UK legal system combines both. A statute can override common law, but courts interpret statutes, sometimes creating new common law principles.
成文法是由议会制定的法律（法案或立法）。普通法是由法官通过法院判决创造的法律（判例法）。一个简单的助记法：’成文法是州（国家）造的；普通法是法院造的。’ 英国法律体系结合了两者。成文法可以凌驾于普通法之上，但法院解释成文法，有时创造新的普通法原则。
The doctrine of precedent (stare decisis) is central to common law: lower courts must follow decisions of higher courts. When thinking of ‘common law’, recall that it is ‘common’ across similar cases. A key difference: statute law is written in advance; common law develops incrementally. You can memorise this as ‘Parliament makes, judges interpret and develop.’
先例原则 (stare decisis) 是普通法的核心：下级法院必须遵循上级法院的判决。当想到 ‘common law’ 时，回忆它是 ‘共同的’（common），适用于类似案件。一个关键区别：成文法预先制定；普通法逐步发展。你可以这样记忆：’议会制定，法官解释和发展’。
11. Precedent (Stare Decisis) | 先例（遵循先例）
‘Stare decisis’ means ‘to stand by things decided’. It is the doctrine that courts should follow the rulings of higher courts in similar cases. The ratio decidendi (reason for the decision) is the binding part; obiter dicta (things said by the way) are persuasive only. To memorise ‘precedent’, think of a ‘preceding event’ that decides the next one. The Latin helps: ‘stare’ like ‘stare’ at something that stays fixed.
‘Stare decisis’ 意为 ‘遵循已决定之事’。这是一项原则，要求法院遵循上级法院在相似案件中的裁决。判决理由 (ratio decidendi) 是具有约束力的部分；附随意见 (obiter dicta) 仅具说服力。记忆 ‘precedent’（先例），想象一个决定未来的 ‘先（pre）行事件’。拉丁语有帮助：’stare’ 像 ‘stare’（盯着）某些固定不变的东西。
A case example: Donoghue v Stevenson set a precedent for the modern law of negligence. The House of Lords (now Supreme Court) decided there could be a duty of care outside a contract. That binding precedent is followed by lower courts. Link the word ‘precedent’ to ‘president’ (but with ‘c’): just as a president leads, a precedent guides later decisions.
案例：Donoghue v Stevenson 为现代过失法创设了先例。上议院（现在的最高法院）判决，合同之外也可以存在注意义务。那个有约束力的先例被下级法院遵循。把 ‘precedent’ 和 ‘president’（总统）联系起来（但拼写不同）：正如总统领导，先例指引后来的判决。
12. Summary: Building Your Legal Lexicon | 总结：打造你的法律词汇库
Mastering these twelve terms gives you a solid foundation for Year 9 Law and beyond. The key is to use them: read case summaries, listen to news reports about court decisions, and try to identify actus reus, mens rea, or breach of contract in everyday scenarios. Build a personal glossary with the memory hooks we’ve discussed, and you will find that legal vocabulary becomes second nature.
掌握这十二个术语为你 Year 9 及以后的法律学习打下坚实基础。关键在于运用：阅读案例摘要，收听关于法院判决的新闻报道，并尝试在日常生活中识别犯罪行为、犯罪意图或违约。用我们讨论过的记忆钩子建立一个个人术语表，你会发现法律词汇会成为你的第二天性。
Remember, legal language is not designed to confuse – it carries precision and history. Treat each term as a tool in a toolkit. With this guide, you are well on your way to thinking and reading like a budding lawyer. Keep practising, and soon you’ll recall these terms faster than you can say ‘Donoghue v Stevenson’!
记住，法律语言不是为了让人困惑——它承载着精确性和历史。把每个术语当作工具箱中的一件工具。有了这本指南，你已经走在像一位未来的律师那样思考和阅读的道路上。坚持练习，很快你就能比说出 ‘Donoghue v Stevenson’ 还快地想起这些术语！
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