法律

• Reading: ほうりつ
• Romaji: houritsu
• Kanji breakdown: 法 (hou/nori) — law, method; 律 (ritsu) — law, regulation, rhythm
• Pronunciation: /hoː.ɾi.tsɯ/

Meaning

Law; legislation. A rule or set of rules established by a government.

A noun used for written, codified law. Common compounds include 法律家 (lawyer/legal expert), 法律事務所 (law firm), and 法律違反 (violation of the law). Distinct from ルール (rule) which is more informal, and 規則 (regulation) which covers organisational rules.

Examples

1. 新しい法律が来月から始まります。 A new law will go into effect starting next month.
2. 法律を知らなくても罰せられます。 You can be punished even if you don't know the law.
3. 弟は法律を勉強しています。 My younger brother is studying law.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, news, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 法 (law, method) and 律 (law, regulation, rhythm). Both characters carry the meaning of established rules, creating a reinforcing compound.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal