適てき法ほう

て

き

ほ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

legal; lawful; legitimate

Describes actions, procedures, or things that conform to the law. Often used in legal or formal contexts.

その契けい

約やく

は

適てき

法ほう

だ

と

弁べん

護ご

士し

が

判はん

断だん

し

た

。

The lawyer judged that the contract was lawful.

適てき法ほうな手しゅ段だんで情じょう報ほうを入にゅう手しゅする必ひつ要ようがある。

We need to obtain the information through legal means.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉は適てき法ほうである(an act/matter) is legal/lawful
この取とり引ひきは適てき法ほうである。
This transaction is lawful.
適てき法ほうに〈動どう詞し〉to do (something) legally
その証しょう拠こは適てき法ほうに取しゅ得とくされたものだ。
The evidence was obtained legally.

Kanji

適suitable, occasional, rare
法method, law, rule

Related words

合ごう法ほうN1
合法 also means 'legal', but is the more common everyday word, while 適法 is formal and typically used in legal documents.
合ごう法ほう的てき
適法 is a more formal, legalistic term for 'lawful' often used in legal writing, whereas 合法的 is the everyday word for describing legal actions or methods.

Opposites

違い法ほうN1
違法 means 'illegal' or 'unlawful', the direct antonym of 適法.
不ふ法ほうN1
不法 means 'illegal' or 'wrongful', often with a stronger sense of moral or legal violation, contrasting with the neutral 適法.

Word family

適てき法ほう性せい
legality; lawfulness; legitimacy
適てき法ほう手て続つづき
due process
適てき法ほう行こう為い
legal act; lawful act

Etymology

Compound of 適 (suitable, conforming) and 法 (law). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'conforming to the law'.