判 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) to differentiate; to distinguish; (bound form) clearly (different); to judge; to decide; to grade
How to write 判, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 判
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to differentiate; to distinguish
- (bound form) clearly (different)
- to judge; to decide; to grade
- (of a judge) to sentence
How 判 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刂 gives the meaning and 半 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 判
判 is built from 半 (bàn, half) and the knife radical 刂. Picture a knife cutting something into two halves so you can tell the sides apart, which is how you judge and decide.
判 rarely stands alone in everyday speech and mostly appears in words like 判断 (pànduàn, to judge), 裁判 (cáipàn, referee) and 谈判 (tánpàn, to negotiate). On its own it often means to grade or to sentence, as in 他被判了三年。(Tā bèi pàn le sān nián.) He was sentenced to three years.
Common mistake: Learners often say pān or bàn because 半 is pronounced bàn. The phonetic part only hints at the sound, so 判 is pàn with an aspirated p and a fourth tone.
Common words with 判
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 判断 | pànduàn | to judge; to determine; judgment | HSK 3 |
| 谈判 | tánpàn | to negotiate; negotiation | HSK 3 |
| 裁判 | cáipàn | (law) to judge; to adjudicate; verdict; judgement; (sports) to referee | HSK 5 |
| 审判 | shěnpàn | a trial; to try sb | HSK 7-9 |
| 判决 | pànjué | judgment (by a court of law); to pass judgment on | HSK 7-9 |
| 评判 | píngpàn | to judge (a competition); to appraise | HSK 7-9 |
| 判定 | pàndìng | to judge; to decide | HSK 7-9 |
| 批判 | pīpàn | to criticize; critique | HSK 7-9 |
| 判处 | pànchǔ | to sentence; to condemn | HSK 7-9 |
| 宣判 | xuānpàn | to deliver one's judgement; to give one's verdict | |
| 判刑 | pànxíng | to sentence (to prison etc) | |
| 判断力 | pànduànlì | ability to judge; judgment | |
| 判官 | pànguān | magistrate (during Tang and Song dynasties); mythological underworld judge | |
| 审判长 | shěnpànzhǎng | presiding judge |
判 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 判
How many strokes are in 判?
判 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 判 mean?
判 (pàn) means (bound form) to differentiate; to distinguish; (bound form) clearly (different); to judge; to decide; to grade. A common word with it is 判断 (pànduàn), meaning "to judge; to determine; judgment".
How do you pronounce 判?
判 is pronounced pàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 判?
The radical of 判 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 判 under this radical.
Is 判 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 判 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 判断 and 决定?
判断 (pànduàn) means to assess a situation and reach a conclusion about what is true. 决定 (juédìng) means to decide on an action. You 判断 whether it will rain, then 决定 whether to bring an umbrella.
Does 判 mean to grade homework?
Yes. Teachers say 判作业 (pàn zuòyè) or 判卷子 (pàn juànzi) for marking homework or exam papers. This is common in spoken Mandarin.