1
the [country] legation
指某国派驻的外交使团。
The French legation issued the visa.
法国公使馆签发了签证。
公使馆；外交使团
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
公使馆；外交使团
A diplomatic mission.
The French legation issued the visa.
法国公使馆签发了签证。
使节被派遣的目的；使节的使命或委托。
The purpose for which a legate is sent; a legate's mission or commission. Now rare (cf. OED)
使节的职位或职务；使节身份。
The post or office of a legate; a legateship.
外交使团。
A diplomatic mission.
外交官的官邸。
The official residence of a diplomat.
The legation was established in the 19th century.
公使馆建于19世纪。
He served as a diplomat at the legation.
他曾在公使馆担任外交官。
The legation's staff worked diligently.
公使馆的工作人员工作勤奋。
指某国派驻的外交使团。
The French legation issued the visa.
法国公使馆签发了签证。
表示设在某地的外交使团。
The legation in Warsaw was closed during the war.
战争期间，位于华沙的公使馆关闭了。
at the legation 可指在外交使团的办公地点或官邸。
They held a reception at the legation.
他们在公使馆举行了一场招待会。
Not this
The Chinese legation in London deals with trade agreements.
Use this
The Chinese embassy in London deals with trade agreements.
legation 指级别较低的公使馆或外交使团，而驻伦敦的中国外交机构应为大使馆（embassy）。若语境指大使级外交机构，应使用 embassy。
Not this
Our school sent a legation to the model UN conference.
Use this
Our school sent a delegation to the model UN conference.
legation 是‘公使馆’或‘外交使团’，指出使他国的常设外交机构；delegation 才是‘代表团’，指参加会议或执行任务的临时代表团体。参加会议应使用 delegation。
Not this
He legationed in Japan for two years.
Use this
He served at a legation in Japan for two years.
legation 是名词，不能直接用作动词。表示‘在公使馆工作’须用动词短语 serve at a legation，并加上冠词 a。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
设立公使馆
The two nations agreed to establish legations in each other's capitals.
两国同意在对方首都设立公使馆。
公使馆馆长
The head of legation signed the treaty on behalf of his government.
公使馆馆长代表本国政府在条约上签字。
公使馆工作人员
The legation staff were busy preparing for the ambassador's arrival.
公使馆工作人员正忙着为大使的到来做准备。
使馆区
The old legation quarter in Beijing still contains many historic buildings.
北京昔日的使馆区仍保留着许多历史建筑。
Use legation naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
拼写里有 leg（腿），联想使节们长途跋涉，腿走到酸，终于到达公使馆（外交使团/官邸）。
语域：formal 常见场景：外交文献、历史叙述、正式公报 该词多用于正式或书面语境，通常指外交使团或外交官官邸；日常口语中较少见，比较常见于外交文献与历史叙述。
这些词都以 -gation 结尾，读音含 /ɡeɪʃən/，与 legation /lɪˈɡeɪʃən/ 押韵（重读音节都是 /eɪʃən/）。注意拼写相似的 legion /ˈliːdʒən/（军团）和 legal /ˈliːɡəl/（合法的）发音不同，不是同类。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.