以往两者均被一些词典当作“重罪”处理，让人觉得他们的似乎是完全相同的法律术语，但实际上它们的内涵有很大差异。

high crime

韦氏词典：a crime of infamous nature contrary to public morality but not technically constituting a felony

specifically: an offense that the U.S. Senate deems to constitute an adequate ground for removal of the president, vice president, or any civil officer as a person unfit to hold public office and deserving of impeachment

主要是指因违反公共道德而导致声名狼藉的犯罪，从技术角度上讲它不构成重罪（felony)范畴，其尤其是指美国参议院视为的可以此为理由而对总统、副总统以及任何 其他公职官员进行弹劾的犯罪，在《美国联邦宪法》中，词组high crimes and misdemeanors则用于表示可导致联邦官员被弹劾的犯罪，high crime在此也并非一定等于“重罪”，故将它译为“严重违反公德罪”，以与真正意义上的felony (重罪）相区分。

而felony重罪

In US law, a felony is typically defined as a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty.

则是最初英国刑法中所规定的四种犯罪之一，指最高刑可处以死刑并处没收其财产的犯法行为， 与另外的叛国罪（treason)、轻罪（misdemeanor)、简易审判程序审理的犯罪（summary offense)等三种罪行相对（summary offense 实际属于 misdemeanor， 故其也为三种分类，Cf. treason)。

以下为相关双语示例，供参考：

Article 103 of the Law stipulates that the deputy public prosecutor may, in felony cases and in the interests of expediting the investigation, decide to prohibit communication with the suspect for a period of not more than 10 days, renewable only once. daccess-ods.un.org

第103条规定，副检察官可在重罪案中为加快调查进度之故决定禁止与羁押中的嫌疑人沟通，期限不超过10天，只能延期一次。

A high crime is one that can be done only by someone in a unique position of authority, which is political in character, who does things to circumvent justice.

严重违反公德罪是指只有具有独特权威地位的人才能犯下的罪行，这种人通常是政治人物，通过做这些事情来规避正义。

都较重，但偏向与运用领域不同

①high crime有具体特别的适用领域，一般主要指将总统、副总统或任何文职人员作为不适合担任公职并应被弹劾的人免职的罪行，其定义为a crime of infamous nature contrary to public morality but not technically constituting a felony

根据美国宪法的运用：

High crimes 出现在 Section 4 of Article Two of the United States Constitution: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.".

美国总统、副总统和所有文职官员应因叛国罪、贿赂罪或其他重罪和轻罪 被定罪而被免职。

②felony指重罪，定义为a crime, typically one involving violence, regarded as more serious than a misdemeanor, and usually punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death，即一种犯罪，常用情况较多，通常涉及暴力，被认为比轻罪更严重，通常可判处一年以上监禁或死刑。