favoritism; discrimination; partiality
Refers to unfair treatment based on personal preference rather than objective criteria. Often used in formal or written contexts to describe biased decisions, policies, or judgments.
You must not make biased evaluations in the hiring exam.
His judgment shows favoritism.
Standard kanji form; the word is somewhat formal and often used in written contexts.
Kana spelling is acceptable, especially in less formal writing or when the kanji are considered difficult.
Composed of 偏 (へん, 'biased') and 頗 (は > ぱ, 'exceedingly' or 'one-sided'). The combination conveys a strong sense of partiality. The reading へんぱ is a standard Sino-Japanese compound.