rights and wrongs; relative merits
A yojijukugo used to discuss the justice, fairness, or merits of a case, dispute, or situation. Often appears in formal or analytical contexts.
In a trial, it is required to clarify the rights and wrongs of the case.
We must calmly judge the relative merits of this issue.
是非 is a common word meaning 'right and wrong' or 'pros and cons', used in everyday contexts. 是非曲直 is a more formal, emphatic yojijukugo that adds the nuance of 'straight and crooked' to emphasize thorough judgment.
A yojijukugo composed of 是非 (right and wrong) and 曲直 (crooked and straight), together meaning the full evaluation of a matter's justice and merits. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it follows a common four-character pattern for formal judgment terms.