英文合同的定义条款
作者：王辉
英文合同中，为了避免对某些重要的名词、概念出现理解上的争议，往往订立定义条款对合同中重复出现的具有特殊意义且容易引起争议的名词概念作出专门的解释。重要的英文合同往往第一章就是定义条款的部分。定义的名词往往在合同中以首字母大写的形式出现，在本书第二章第二节用词特点大写字母的运用部分已经涉及，在英文合同，能够很容易辨识出定义条款。 定义条款常用的句型结构大致分为如下 3 种：
1．Shall be（construed as）结构：
例如：As used in this Agreement, any gender shall be construed as including all other genders and the singular shall be construed as including the plural and the plural the singular, as the sense requires.
本协议所用某一性别应解释为包含其他性别，单数应被理解包括复数，视句子需要复数包括单数。
又如："Acceptance Test Manual"
The Acceptance Test Manual shall be the document prepared by A which will be used by A and the Purchaser FOR checking that the Equipment is in accordance with the specification and Approved Data.
"验收实验手册" 验收实验手册系指由 A提供的，供 A与买方检验设备是否符合技术规格和认可资料的文件。
2．Shall mean或 means 结构：
例如：Know-how shall mean all the manufacturing technology and process engineering to manufacture the contract products which are required by Party A and which Party B possesses. Such technology engineering shall include technical details of all designs, operation drawings, technical documentations, manufacturing engineering, procedure and techniques.
专有技术系指所有乙方拥有甲方需要的 用于生产本合同产品的生产技术和工艺技术。该技术应包括具体的设计、操作图纸、技术文件、生产工艺、流程和技术。
又如："Acceptance" means the acceptance by the Buyer of the Contract Plant which certifies the Supplier's fulfillment of the Contract in respect of any Performance Test required thereunder in accordance with Article 25.3 (Acceptance) hereof.
验收系指买方接受合同设备，证明供应商就本协议第 25 条第 3 款规定所要求的性能测试合格，完成合同履行。
3．Shall refer to
例如：Contract products shall refer to the SIO2 and ITO conductive coating glass products which are in conformity with the technical specifications and standards as specified in Appendix I of this contract, e.g. the products manufactured by Party A with the know-how and equipment supplied by Party B.
合同产品系指符合本合同附件 I 规定技术规格和标准的 STO2 和 ITO 导电涂层玻璃产品。如由甲方使用乙方提供专有技术和设备所生产的产品。
4. 此外，也偶有直接使用 is/are 的情形：
例如："System Parts"
System Parts are those which are necessary to B in the performance of this Agreement and derived from Approved Data and shall include but not limited to those parts which are manufactured by B’'s suppliers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, mutually agreed simulated and modified equipment used in lieu of the foregoing shall be deemed to be System Parts.
系统部件
系统部件系指 B 执行本协议所必需的部件（从认可资料中可以查到），应该包括但不限于 B 制造的部件，经双方商定仿制或改进用以代替上述设备的也应视为系统部件。
又如："MOFCOM" is the Ministry of Commerce of the Republic of China.
商务部即中华人民共和国商务部。