仲裁

• Pinyin: zhòng cái
• Hanzi breakdown: 仲 = 亻+ 中 (person + middle — intermediary); 裁 = 衣 + 戈 (clothes + weapon — cut/judge)

Meaning

Arbitration; to arbitrate. Resolution of a dispute by an impartial third party outside of court.

Legal term: 仲裁庭 (arbitration tribunal), 仲裁员 (arbitrator), 仲裁裁决 (arbitration ruling). Used for commercial disputes, labour conflicts, and international cases. Binding like court judgments but often faster and more private.

Examples

1. 双方同意将合同纠纷提交国际商事仲裁机构处理。 Both sides agreed to submit the contract dispute to an international commercial arbitration body.
2. 劳动仲裁委员会受理了这起工资拖欠案件。 The labor arbitration committee accepted this case of unpaid wages.
3. 仲裁裁决具有法律效力，当事人必须遵守执行。 An arbitration award has legal effect, and the parties must comply and carry it out.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, business, labour disputes

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 如果协商不成，可以申请劳动仲裁来维护自己的权益。(If negotiation fails, you can apply for labour arbitration to protect your rights.)
• 合同中约定的仲裁条款对双方都有约束力。(The arbitration clause stipulated in the contract is binding on both parties.)

Don't Say

• 你来仲裁一下我们的争论 — for casual disputes between friends, use 评评理 or 说说谁对; 仲裁 is for formal legal proceedings

Origin & History

仲 (middle/second) + 裁 (judge/decide)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal