裁判

• Pinyin: cái pàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 裁 (cut, decide) + 判 (judge, decide)

Meaning

Referee; judge; umpire. Also: to referee; to make a judgment.

Used for officials in sports competitions and also in legal contexts for judges. Can function as both a noun (the referee) and a verb (to referee/judge).

Examples

1. 裁判吹哨示意比赛暂停。 The referee blew the whistle to signal a pause in the match.
2. 观众对裁判的判罚表示不满。 The audience expressed dissatisfaction with the referee's call.
3. 这场比赛由三名裁判共同执法。 This match is officiated by three referees together.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competition, legal

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 裁判的决定是最终的。(The referee's decision is final.)
• 请裁判来评判一下。(Please have the referee make a judgment.)

Don't Say

• 把'裁判'用于日常争论——在非正式场合用'评理'或'判断' (Don't use 裁判 for everyday disputes — use 评理 or 判断 in informal contexts)

Origin & History

Compound of 裁 (cut/judge) + 判 (decide/judge), both meaning 'to make a decision.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal