‘政策’ (zhèng cè) means ‘policy’ — an official plan or set of principles adopted by a government, organization, or institution to guide decisions and actions. The first character, 政 (zhèng), relates to government, administration, or politics; the second, 策 (cè), originally meant ‘strategy’ or ‘plan’ (as in a military or diplomatic scheme). Together, they form a formal, institutional term used primarily in public, political, and administrative contexts — not for personal preferences or informal rules.

You’ll commonly encounter 政策 in news reports, official documents, business announcements, and academic discussions about governance, economics, education, or environmental management. It’s a neutral, high-register noun — rarely used in casual speech unless referring to well-known national policies (e.g., the ‘two-child policy’). Unlike colloquial terms like 办法 (bàn fǎ, ‘solution’) or 规定 (guī dìng, ‘regulation’), 政策 implies top-down formulation, broad scope, and long-term intent.