裁定

• Pinyin: cái dìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 裁 = to cut/judge; 定 = 宀 (roof) + 正 variant, meaning to decide or fix

Meaning

To rule; to adjudicate; to hand down a decision. A formal judgment made by an authority.

Primarily used in legal and official contexts. Refers to authoritative decisions made by courts, arbitration bodies, or other official institutions. More procedural than 判决 (verdict in criminal cases).

Examples

1. 法院裁定该公司必须赔偿受害者的损失。 The court ruled that the company must compensate the victims for their losses.
2. 仲裁委员会将在三十天内作出裁定。 The arbitration committee will make a ruling within thirty days.
3. 这项裁定对行业产生了深远影响。 This ruling has had a far-reaching impact on the industry.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, arbitration, official

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 法院的裁定是最终的。(The court's ruling is final.)
• 等待仲裁机构的裁定。(Awaiting the arbitration body's ruling.)

Don't Say

• 妈妈裁定我不能出去玩。(For parental decisions, use 决定 or 说 — 裁定 is for official/legal contexts)

Origin & History

裁 (to cut, judge) + 定 (to decide, fix). Together meaning to make a decisive judgment.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Legal/Professional