Council of State / state councillor
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Council of State
A high-level governmental, advisory, or administrative body in various states. Its exact functions and composition differ considerably depending on the country and historical context.
In der Volksrepublik China ist der Staatsrat das höchste Organ der Staatsverwaltung.
In the People's Republic of China, the State Council is the highest body of state administration.
The word is made up of 'Staat' (state) and 'Rat' (council/advisor). A 'Rat' can be both a group of advisors (a body) and an individual person (an advisor), which explains the two meanings of the word.
Der Staatsrat ist das wichtigste Beratungsgremium der Regierung.
The Council of State is the government's most important advisory body.
The verb tells you whether the body or the person is meant. Verbs like 'tagen' (to meet/convene) or 'beschließen' (to decide/pass a resolution) refer to the body. Verbs like 'ernennen' (to appoint) or 'sein' (to be) refer to the person with this title.
Der Staatsrat tagt einmal im Monat.
The Council of State meets once a month.
This word belongs to formal language and is used mainly in political, legal, or historical contexts. It rarely appears in normal everyday life.
Die genauen Befugnisse des Staatsrates sind in der Verfassung festgelegt.
The exact powers of the Council of State are laid down in the constitution.
senate
'der Senat' and 'der Staatsrat' can both refer to a high political or state body. Their exact use is different, however. 'Senat' is a chamber of parliament in some countries, for example in a bicameral system, or the state government in Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen. 'Staatsrat' is more general and depends strongly on the country and the historical context; it can be a governmental, advisory, or administrative body. Learners may confuse the words because both sound like high-level politics. You should therefore always pay attention to the country and the specific system.
In dem historischen Text berät der Staatsrat den Präsidenten.
In the historical text, the Council of State advises the president.
In den USA stimmt der Senat über den neuen Vorschlag ab.
In the United States, the Senate votes on the new proposal.