危害公共安全罪（crime of endangering public security）的保护法益，是不特定或者多数人的生命、身体的安全以及公众生活的平稳与安宁。据此，危害公共安全罪，是指故意或者过失危害不特定或者多数人的生命、健康的安全以及公众生活的平稳与安宁的行为。

以危险方法危害公共安全罪，英文表达为Crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means，是指故意使用放火、决水、爆炸、投放危险物质以外的危险方法危害公共安全的行为。刑法将以危险方法危害公共安全罪与放火、爆炸等罪并列规定在相同法条中，并且规定的相同的法定刑。

参考双语法规：

《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百一十四条：

放火、决水、爆炸以及投放毒害性、放射性、传染病病原体等物质或者以其他危险方法危害公共安全，尚未造成严重后果的，处三年以上十年以下有期徒刑。

Whoever commits arson, breaches a dike, causes explosion, spreads poison or uses other dangerous means to sabotage any factory, mine, oilfield, harbour, river, water source, warehouse, house, forest, farm, threshing ground, pasture, key pipeline, public building or any other public or private property, thereby endangering public security but causing no serious consequences, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years.

(Note: According to the Amendment III to the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China promulgated on December 29, 2001, this article is revised to read, "Whoever commits arson, breaches a dike, causes explosion, spreads poisonous or radioactive substances, infectious-disease pathogens or other substances, or uses other dangerous means, thereby endangering public security but causing no serious consequences, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 3 years but not more than 10 years.")

（注：根据2001年12月29日发布的《中华人民共和国刑法修正案（三）》，此条修改为：“放火、决水、爆炸以及投放毒害性、放射性、传染病病原体等物质或者以其他危险方法危害公共安全，尚未造成严重后果的，处三年以上十年以下有期徒刑。”）

《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百一十五条：

放火、决水、爆炸以及投放毒害性、放射性、传染病病原体等物质或者以其他危险方法致人重伤、死亡或者使公私财产遭受重大损失的，处十年以上有期徒刑、无期徒刑或者死刑。

Whoever commits arson, breaches a dike, causes explosion, spreads poison or inflicts serious injury or death on people or causes heavy losses of public or private property by other dangerous means, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years, life imprisonment or death.

过失犯前款罪的，处三年以上七年以下有期徒刑;情节较轻的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役。

Whoever negligently commits the crime mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years; if the circumstances are minor, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention.

（注：根据2001年12月29日发布的《中华人民共和国刑法修正案（三）》，此条第一款修改为：“放火、决水、爆炸以及投放毒害性、放射性、传染病病原体等物质或者以其他危险方法致人重伤、死亡或者使公私财产遭受重大损失的，处十年以上有期徒刑、无期徒刑或者死刑。”）

(Note: According to the Amendment III to the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China promulgated on December 29, 2001, Paragraph 1 herein is revised to read, "Whoever commits arson, breaches a dike, causes explosion, spreads poisonous or radioactive substances, or infectious-disease pathogens or other substances, or uses other dangerous means, thereby inflicting serious injury or death on people or causing heavy losses of public or private property, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years, life imprisonment or death.")

参考双语例句：

Section 41 provides that any person who in any “security area” consorts with or is found in the company of another person who is carrying or has in his possession or under his control any firearm, ammunition or explosive in contravention of the provisions of section 40, in circumstances which raise a reasonable presumption that such supplies are intended for the use of any person who intends, or is about, to act, or has recently acted, in a manner prejudicial to public security or the maintenance of public order, or that such supplies are intended for the use of any terrorist, shall be guilty of an offence, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment for life or imprisonment for 15 years.

第41节规定，如果发现“安全区”中的任何人伙同或与违反第40节规定而携带或持有或掌控任何火器、弹药或炸药的他人在一起，并且有合理理由认为其打算让试图或即将以危害公共安全或维持公共秩序的方式采取行动或最近已经采取行动的任何人使用这些物品，则属犯罪，可判处死刑或终身监禁或监禁15年。