Translation guide
The English word "judge" covers several distinct meanings: a legal official, the act of evaluating or deciding, and the act of forming an opinion. Japanese uses different words for each.
A person who presides over a court of law.
The standard term for a judge in a court of law.
裁判官が判決を下した。
The judge handed down the verdict.
A formal term for a judge, often used in official titles.
最高裁判所判事
Supreme Court judge
To act as a judge in a competition, contest, or to evaluate something.
To judge or examine something carefully, often in a competition or for quality.
コンテストの作品を審査する。
Judge the entries in a contest.
To judge or decide the outcome, often in sports or disputes.
審判がゴールを判定する。
The referee judges whether it's a goal.
Loanword from English, used in casual or specific contexts like TV shows.
彼がダンスをジャッジする。
He judges the dance.
To form an opinion or conclusion about someone or something.
To judge, decide, or conclude based on available information.
状況を判断して行動してください。
Please judge the situation and act accordingly.
To evaluate, assess, or appraise someone's ability or value.
彼の能力を評価するのは難しい。
It's difficult to judge his ability.
To ascertain, see through, or judge the true nature of something.
To criticize or condemn someone for their actions.
To criticize or judge negatively.
他人を批判する前に自分を見つめ直そう。
Before you judge others, take a look at yourself.
To blame or condemn someone.
彼の失敗を責めるのは簡単だ。
It's easy to judge him for his mistakes.
裁判官 (saibankan) specifically means a judge in a court. Using it for a competition judge or to mean 'form an opinion' is incorrect. Use 審査員 (shinsain) for a competition judge, or verbs like 判断する (handan suru) for the action of judging.
判断する (handan suru) is about making a decision or judgment based on facts. 評価する (hyōka suru) is about evaluating worth or quality. Use 判断する for situational decisions, and 評価する for assessing people or things.
彼の本心を見極める。
Judge his true intentions.