KanjiJLPT N1
Penalty

penalty, punishment

Mnemonic

An eye witnesses your crime firsthand. Harsh words of judgment echo through the courtroom as the verdict is read aloud. The executioner's knife is raised high — your penalty has been sealed. Justice spares no one.
Additional thoughts
Visualize a courtroom scene: a giant unblinking eye watches from above, the judge's words boom through the chamber, and a gleaming knife drops like a guillotine blade to finalize the punishment.
Quick recall
The eye sees the crime, words condemn you, and the knife delivers the penalty.

Details

The keyword for 罰 is penalty. This kanji refers to a punishment or disciplinary measure imposed as a consequence of wrongdoing, whether by legal authority, social convention, or divine judgment. It encompasses a broad range of punitive actions, from fines and sanctions to more severe forms of retribution. The character conveys the idea of enforcing justice by making someone pay for their transgressions.
On'yomi
ばつ、ばち、はつ
Kun'yomi
ばっ.する