He ruled country B. He ruled over country b. 分別？

一個单字(rule)通常有其基本意義(制度、規則、管理、原則、控制…)。片語(rule over - 控制)則通常具有明顯具體意義，兩者之間其意義部分情況有時可互換、但通常後者意義更明確.
He ruled the country = He ruled over the country
但感覺上後句意較明確且較強。
以下7句、無特意挑選來自Yahoo-International，讀完就懂了
1.Genesis(創世紀) 3:16 says man shall rule over(控制) women, Biblical people, how do you translate this?
2.How did Britain come to rule over(控制) India given that Britain is so small and India so big?
3.How did Hitler's propaganda help in maintaining his rule over(控制) Germany?
4.Why does Queen Elizabeth II rule over(控制) Australia but yet it is an independent country?
5.In the Bible does Satan really rule over(控制) hell?
6.What are the rules(規則) regarding high-beam(開大燈) use when driving?
7.Which of the following rules(規則) should be used to keep the appropriate distance?
The queen ruled(管理/控制 = rule over ) her country for 20 years . – Yahoo dictionary
以下六句來自Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
1.Rule(規則)
about what is allowed [countable] an official instruction that says how
things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game,
organization, or job
rule of
the rules of the game
2, under the rules/according to the rules(依據規則)
Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts.
3. about what you should do [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this
There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to
wear to classes.
4. rule of ( XXX 的原則 )
There are two basic rules of survival.
The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.
5. normal/usual [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule (大致上的原則)
As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of
May.
Early marriage used to be the rule(習慣) in that part of the world.
A series of payments(一系列的付款) used to be the exception(並不多
見) rather than(而不是) the rule(目前常見).
Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule(原則很不幸常有例外).
6. government [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a
particular group of people or using a particular system
under ... rule
people living under communist rule(共產主義制度)