公正

• Reading: こうせい
• Romaji: kousei
• Kanji breakdown: 公 (kou) — public, official; 正 (sei) — correct, righteous
• Pronunciation: /koː.seː/

Meaning

Fair; just; impartial. Describes decisions, judgments, or processes free from bias.

A na-adjective and noun used in formal and legal contexts. Common collocations include 公正な判断 (a fair judgment), 公正な取引 (fair dealing), and 公正取引委員会 (Fair Trade Commission). More formal and institutional than 公平 (kouhei), which is used more broadly in everyday contexts.

Examples

1. 裁判では公正な判断が求められる。 This team is composed of five members.
2. 公正なルールのもとで試合が行われた。 I thought about the structure of the report first before starting to write.
3. 選挙は公正に実施されなければならない。 The story is very well structured.

Usage Guide

Context: law, politics, business

Tone: authoritative

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of 公 (kou, public/official) and 正 (sei, correct/righteous). 公 depicts a shared/public space, and 正 shows a foot stopping at a line — together, publicly correct and upright conduct.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal