判事

• Reading: はんじ
• Romaji: hanji
• Kanji breakdown: 判 (han) — judge, decide, determine; 事 (ji) — matter, affair, thing
• Pronunciation: /haɴ.dʑi/

Meaning

Judge; judiciary. A person who presides over court proceedings and delivers judgements.

A noun for a judge in the judicial system. More formal and specific than 裁判官 (saibankan, judge) — 判事 is the official title used within the Japanese judiciary. In Japan, judges are career professionals appointed after passing the bar exam and completing judicial training.

Examples

1. 判事は被告に厳しい判決を下した。 The judge handed down a harsh sentence to the defendant.
2. 経験豊富な判事がこの裁判を担当している。 An experienced judge is presiding over this trial.
3. 判事になるためには司法試験に合格しなければならない。 You must pass the bar exam to become a judge.

Usage Guide

Context: law, courts, judiciary

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 判 (han, judge/decide) + 事 (ji, matter/affair). Literally 'one who judges matters' — a person with the authority to decide legal cases.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal