裁
Mnemonic
A medieval archer draped in a torn garment is called to judge a dispute. He fires one arrow that slices the garment perfectly in two—one half for the plaintiff, one half for the defendant. His cut is so precise and fair that everyone accepts his judgment without question.
Additional thoughts
Think of King Solomon's famous judgment, but here a medieval archer splits a garment instead of threatening to split a baby. The precision of the arrow mirrors the precision needed in judging. Cutting cloth and cutting through a case are the same decisive act.Quick recall
A medieval archer splits a garment in two with one arrow to judge a dispute fairly.Details
The keyword for 裁 is judge. This kanji refers to the act of judging, deciding, or making a ruling on a matter. It encompasses both the legal sense of rendering a verdict in court and the broader sense of making a decisive determination. It also carries the meaning of cutting or tailoring cloth, as both judging and cutting involve making precise, deliberate decisions about where to divide or distinguish.
- On'yomi
- さい
- Kun'yomi
- た.つ、さば.く