Definition
列强 is a historical term for the imperialist great powers (Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the U.S., etc.) that forced unequal treaties on China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's heavily loaded with China's semi-colonial memory — you'll see it in textbooks, historical discussions, and modern commentary about foreign intervention. The English phrase 'great powers' is too neutral; 列强 always implies aggression and exploitation.
n.
the great powers (imperialist nations that imposed unequal treaties on 19th–20th century China)
Examples
- 19，列强。Shíjiǔ shìjì, Zhōngguó shòudào liè qiáng de qīnlüè hé yāpò.In the 19th century, China suffered invasion and oppression from the great powers.
- 列强。liè qiáng yāoqiú Qīng zhèngfǔ qiāndìng yí xìliè bùpíngděng tiáoyuē.The great powers demanded that the Qing government sign a series of unequal treaties.
- ，列强。Ruò guó wú wàijiāo, liè qiáng de lìshǐ jiàoxùn zhìjīn réng yǒu jǐngshì yìyì.A weak nation has no diplomacy; the historical lesson of the great powers still serves as a warning today.
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