裁判

さいばん

trial, judgment

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Understanding 裁判

The word 裁判 (cái pàn) primarily refers to a judgment or a referee in a sports context. It combines , meaning 'to cut or trim,' and , meaning 'to judge.' This reflects the act of making a decisive judgment or ruling.

Common Uses

  1. Legal Judgment: 裁判 often refers to the judgment or verdict given by a court. For example, 裁判 (court judgment) is a formal decision affecting the parties involved.

  2. Sports Referee: In sports, 裁判 means the referee or umpire who enforces the rules and makes calls during the game.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 裁判 (cáipànyuán): referee or judge, often used in sports.
  • 裁判结果 (cáipàn jiéguǒ): judgment result, usually legal.
  • 担任裁判 (dānrèn cáipàn): to serve as a referee.

Usage Notes

When using 裁判 to mean 'referee,' it usually refers to the person officiating a game. When referring to legal judgment, it emphasizes the decision or ruling made by a court. Avoid confusing 裁判 with 判决 (pànjué), which specifically means 'judgment' or 'verdict' in legal contexts but does not refer to a referee.

The tone is neutral and formal in legal contexts but can be more casual in sports discussions.

Example Sentences

In the soccer match, the referee's decisions are very crucial.

The court's judgment affected the fate of both parties.

He served as the referee in the match, responsible for maintaining order.