Lawfulness is the fact that something is allowed by the law — or the question of whether it is.

Lawfulness指的是 the fact that something is allowed by the law某件事被法律允許這個事實 or the question of whether it is或者說是不是合法的這個問題

You talk about the lawfulness of a search, a war, a vote, a rule. It names the quality, not one act you can point at.

You talk about the lawfulness of你會談論...的lawfulness(合法性) a search, a war, a vote, a rule像搜索、戰爭、投票，或規定 It names the quality這個字指的是那個特質 not one act you can point at不是你可以指出來的某一個行為

You meet it in news, courts, and school essays; everyday talk often skips it and just asks “Was it legal?” Though actually, people reach for it when they want the idea itself, not only one case: “We care about lawfulness, not only winning.” It is formal and a little stiff, which is fine in those rooms.

You meet it in news, courts, and school essays你會在新聞、法庭，和學校作文裡看到這個字 everyday talk often skips it日常對話通常不會用它 and just asks Was it legal而是直接問這樣合法嗎 Though actually不過事實上 people reach for it人們會用這個字 when they want the idea itself當他們要講的是這個概念本身 not only one case而不只是某一個案子 We care about lawfulness, not only winning像是我們在乎的是合不合法，不只是輸贏 It is formal and a little stiff這個字很正式，也有點生硬 which is fine in those rooms但在那些場合這樣講很合適

It is not a word for a person who loves rules, and it is not the same as fairness — a law can be lawful and still feel unkind.

It is not a word for a person who loves rules它不是用來說一個很愛規定的人的字 and it is not the same as fairness也不等於公平 a law can be lawful and still feel unkind一條法律可以是合法的，卻還是讓人覺得不厚道