■ institution

这个名词，中国人比较熟悉的词义是比较具体可以捉摸的“机构”、“馆所”。

• financial institution金融机构
• public institution公共机构（如医院、学校等）
• institutions of higher learning高等学府，高等院校。

但是，它还有比较抽象不易捉摸的“约定俗成的制度”、“社会习俗”的意义，中国人就不一定很习惯。

• Baseball is an institution in the United States.棒球在美国已经是一项生活习惯。
• The siesta is a real institution in Spain.午睡在西班牙简直是一个习俗。
• They're not opposed to the institution of marriage.他们对于婚姻这个制度并不反对。
• ... I am certain he would like to see the institution (=slavery) (*system) eliminated from the face of the earth. (John Darnton, The Darwin Conspiracy, p.115)我肯定他希望奴隶制被从地面上铲除。
• The institution of divorce began to redound against men, because in recent years women are more likely to initiate divorce than men.离婚这个制度，开始对男方不利了，因为近年来主动提出离婚的女方比男方更为常见。

作为复数的不可数名词，institutions 又可以表示“一套体制”。

• They're discussing how domestic political institutions affect the way states interact in international crises.他们在讨论国内政治制度对各国在国际性危机中如何互动有什么影响。
• They argue that institutions promoting accountability and competition tend to increase the political risks associated with waging war.他们声称，凡是促进问责制和竞争的体制，都倾向于使得同进行战争有关的政治风险加大。