事件

• Reading: じけん
• Romaji: jiken
• Kanji breakdown: 事 (ji) — thing, matter; 件 (ken) — affair, case, item
• Pronunciation: /dʑi.keɴ/

Meaning

Incident; case; affair. Refers to a notable event, especially one involving crime or trouble.

A noun used broadly for incidents, cases, and affairs, but most commonly in the context of criminal cases or scandals. It appears frequently in news reports and legal contexts. Common collocations include 殺人事件 (murder case), 事件が起きる (an incident occurs), and 事件を解決する (to solve a case).

Examples

1. 昨日この辺りで大きな事件があったらしい。 Apparently there was a major incident around here yesterday.
2. 警察はその事件の犯人をまだ探している。 The police are still looking for the suspect in that case.
3. テレビで詐欺事件のニュースを見た。 I saw a news report about a fraud case on TV.

Usage Guide

Context: news, law, daily life

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Composed of 事 (thing, matter) and 件 (affair, item, case). Together they denote a matter or affair of significance.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal