judge · seal

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 判 has seven strokes and the on-reading はん.
• Basic usage: It appears in words for making judgments, facts becoming clear, and a personal seal.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Judgment and clarification
  • 判断(はんだん) is making a judgment from information or circumstances. 判明(はんめい) focuses on a fact becoming clear, for example through an investigation.
• The seal meaning
  • 判子(はんこ) is a seal stamped on documents.