判决

• Pinyin: pàn jué
• Hanzi breakdown: 判 = 半 + 刀 (divide, judge); 决 = 氵+ 夬 (flow decisively, reach a determination)

Meaning

Verdict; a judicial decision or ruling made by a court; to pronounce judgment in a legal case.

Central legal term for court rulings. Functions as both a verb (to rule) and noun (a ruling/verdict). Represents the court's binding conclusion and can be appealed to a higher court.

Examples

1. 法院作出了有利于原告的判决。 The court issued a ruling in favor of the plaintiff.
2. 被告对一审判决提出了正式上诉。 The defendant filed a formal appeal of the first-instance judgment.
3. 这份判决书将成为同类案件的重要参考依据。 This written judgment will serve as an important reference for similar cases.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, judicial

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 最高法院维持了原判决，驳回了双方上诉。(The Supreme Court upheld the original ruling and dismissed the appeals from both sides.)
• 这份划时代的判决引发了社会各界的广泛讨论。(This landmark ruling sparked wide discussion across all sectors of society.)

Don't Say

• 教练判决我们队输了 — use 宣布 or 裁定 for non-judicial decisions; 判决 is reserved for court proceedings

Origin & History

判 (judge) + 决 (decide, determine definitively)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal