Japanese word

審判

Pronunciation

Romajishinpan

Meaning

  • nounreferee

Example

試合の審判は公平でした。shi ai no shin pan wa kō hei de shi ta

The referee was fair.

Illustration for 審判 (referee)

More examples

選手たちは審判に抗議しました。sen shu ta chi wa shin pan ni kō gi shi ma shi ta

The players protested to the referee.

Core concept

Stands between competitors as an impartial authority who determines how a contest is decided.

Common phrases

  • 審判をするshin pan o su ru

    referee a game

  • 審判を務めるshin pan o tsuto me ru

    serve as a referee

  • 審判の判定shin pan no han tei

    the referee's call

  • 審判に抗議するshin pan ni kō gi su ru

    protest to the referee

Similar words

レフェリーreferī: A sports official who enforces the rules, especially in sports such as soccer.
アンパイアanpaia: A sports official who makes calls in games such as baseball.

Definition in Japanese

競技などで、勝敗や規則に照らした適否を公正に決める役を担う人。kyō gi na do de shō hai ya ki soku ni te ra shi ta teki hi o kō sei ni ki me ru yaku o nina u hito

Word origin

The compound 審判 (shinpan) joins 審 (shin, "examine carefully") with 判 (han, "judge or decide").

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use referee for sports such as soccer and umpire for sports such as baseball, but Japanese uses 審判 (shinpan) for both roles.

Other meanings

  • umpirenoun
  • judgmentnoun

Related words

  • 審判員shinpaninrefereenoun

Word lists with this word