public law
Refers to the body of law governing relationships between individuals and the state, including constitutional, administrative, and criminal law. Contrasts with 私法 (private law).
The distinction between public law and private law is fundamental in legal studies.
international law (historical)
public international law
Compound of 公 (public) and 法 (law). The term is a direct conceptual borrowing from Western legal terminology, established in the Meiji period.