法廷

• Reading: ほうてい
• Romaji: houtei
• Kanji breakdown: 法 (hou) — law, method, rule; 廷 (tei) — court, government office
• Pronunciation: /hoː.teː/

Meaning

Court of law; courtroom. The place where legal proceedings are conducted.

A noun for the physical courtroom or the court as an institution of justice. Common collocations include 法廷に立つ (houtei ni tatsu, to stand in court), 法廷闘争 (houtei tousou, court battle), and 法廷証言 (houtei shougen, court testimony). More specific than 裁判所 (saibansho, courthouse).

Examples

1. 法廷での証言が裁判の行方を左右した。 The testimony in court determined the outcome of the trial.
2. 被告は法廷に立つのが初めてだった。 It was the defendant's first time standing in a courtroom.
3. 法廷はその日、傍聴席が満席だった。 The courtroom was packed with spectators that day.

Usage Guide

Context: law, courts, legal drama

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 法 (hou, law/method) + 廷 (tei, court/government office). Literally 'court of law' — the formal setting where justice is administered.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal