🇬🇧🇨🇳 coup - 政变 : English Lesson

Meaning of "coup" ("政变"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

A coup is when a group of people, usually part of the army, suddenly and secretly takes control of a country’s government without following the law. They might use soldiers, weapons, or threats to push out the leaders who were in charge and put themselves in power instead. It happens quickly, is often violent or scary, and is not done in a fair or legal way like an election.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

At the family game night, the kids attempted a coup to replace boring adult games with wild ones that involved shouting and snacks.

My little brother tried a coup at dinner, announcing that from now on we only eat dessert, but the vegetables strongly disagreed.

During a board game, my cousin attempted a coup by secretly declaring himself President of All the Rules.

The pillows organized a bedroom coup and threw the blankets off the bed to claim more space.

Our dog attempted a coup in the house and declared himself king of the couch, banning all humans from sitting there.

In dawn light, soldiers burst into the square and cheered after their coup. Coup flags rose; coup men cheered. Shopkeepers watched as a second group blocked the road, fearing a coup had split the city. A woman waved a white cloth while children hid; the coup ended when the mayor stepped down, and the town sighed, stunned and safe.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.