When a government nationalizes an industry, it takes that industry — water, gas, the railways, oil, sometimes a bank — away from private owners and puts it under the state. The government may buy the companies, or it may take control without a friendly sale.

When a government nationalizes an industry當政府把一個產業nationalize（國有化）的時候, it它 takes that industry就是把那個產業——water, gas, the railways, oil, sometimes a bank水、瓦斯、鐵路、石油，有時候是銀行——away from private owners從私人業主手中拿走, and並 puts it under the state交給國家。The government政府 may buy the companies可能買下這些公司, or或者 it它 may take control without a friendly sale也可能不透過友善的買賣就直接接管。

This is a heavy political verb: supporters say the public should own things everyone depends on; opponents say the state will run them badly or grab too much.

This這 is a heavy political verb是一個政治意味很重的動詞: supporters支持的人 say the public should own things everyone depends on說大家依賴的東西應該由公眾擁有; opponents反對的人 say說 the state will run them badly or grab too much國家會經營不善或抓太多權力。

American English writes nationalize; British English often writes nationalise. The matching noun is nationalization. The opposite verb is privatize.

American English美式英文 writes寫作 nationalize「nationalize」; British English英式英文 often常常 writes寫作 nationalise「nationalise」。The matching noun對應的名詞 is是 nationalization「nationalization」。The opposite verb相反的動詞 is是 privatize「privatize」（民營化）。

Though actually, students often reach for this word when they mean something else entirely: making a foreigner a citizen is naturalize, with an r, and it is a different story.

Though actually不過其實, students學生 often reach for this word常常用錯這個詞 when they mean something else entirely其實想講的是完全不同的東西: making a foreigner a citizen讓一個外國人變成公民 is是 naturalize「naturalize」, with an r多一個r, and而且 it is a different story那是完全不同的另一件事。