Meaning
審 means careful examination — the kind that precedes a verdict, not just a glance. Whether applied to a court ruling, a scholarship review, or a competition panel, this kanji signals deliberate, thorough scrutiny. In modern Japanese, it appears almost exclusively in formal and legal contexts.
Etymologically, 審 breaks into two components. The top radical 宀 (ukanmuri) represents a roof or enclosed chamber — the image of a formal hall. Below it sits 番, itself built from 釆 (to distinguish, to sort) and 田 (a field or register). Read together: sorting and analyzing matters beneath a roof — precisely what happens inside a courtroom or deliberation chamber.
At 15 strokes, 審 sits in the secondary school tier of the Jōyō kanji list. You won't hear it in casual conversation, but it's everywhere in legal documents, court reporting, competition announcements, and official notices. At JLPT N1, expect it regularly in newspaper articles and government texts.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
審 has a single on'yomi: シン (shin). It appears in nearly every compound containing this kanji — especially in formal, legal, and administrative vocabulary. In practice, シン is the reading to know: it's everywhere in written Japanese, from newspaper headlines and legal briefs to official documents and news broadcasts.
Key compounds using the シン reading:
- 審査 (shinsa) — examination, screening, judging; used broadly for application reviews, competition judging, and quality control inspections
- 審判 (shinpan) — judicial ruling or judgment; also used for a referee or umpire in sports contexts
- 審議 (shingi) — deliberation, formal discussion in a legislative body or committee
- 審理 (shinri) — a court hearing or the proceedings of a trial
- 不審 (fushin) — suspicion, doubt; something that seems questionable or out of place
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi つまびらか (tsumabiraka) means detailed, thorough, precise, or fully clear. Rare in contemporary Japanese, it surfaces mainly in classical texts and formal literary writing. The nuance — exhaustive precision in investigation or description — maps directly onto the kanji's core meaning.
- 審にする (tsumabiraka ni suru) — to clarify in full detail, to examine thoroughly and make something clear
- 審ではない (tsumabiraka de wa nai) — not fully clear or detailed; still uncertain or incomplete
For JLPT N1 and real-world reading, prioritize the シン compounds. The kun'yomi is worth recognizing, but you're unlikely to need it in production.
Common Words & Compounds
審 runs through a dense cluster of formal and legal vocabulary. Here are the terms most likely to appear on the JLPT N1 or in authentic texts:
Legal and Judicial Terms
- 審判 (shinpan) — judicial ruling; also a referee or umpire in athletic competitions
- 審理 (shinri) — court hearing; the proceedings of a trial or legal investigation
- 審問 (shinmon) — interrogation, official inquiry or inquest conducted by authorities
- 予審 (yoshin) — preliminary examination or hearing held before the main trial begins
- 再審 (saishin) — retrial; a review of a case that has already been decided
- 陪審 (baishin) — jury; the system of trial by jury
- 陪審員 (baishinin) — juror; an individual member of a jury panel
Examination and Evaluation Terms
- 審査 (shinsa) — examination, screening, evaluation; used in competitions, job applications, and quality control
- 審査員 (shinsa-in) — judge, examiner, evaluator; a person who conducts an official 審査
- 審議 (shingi) — deliberation, formal discussion; used in parliament, committees, and official boards
- 審決 (shinketsu) — official decision or ruling made by a court or regulatory body
Expressions with 不審
- 不審 (fushin) — suspicion, doubt; something that appears questionable or does not add up
- 不審者 (fushinsha) — a suspicious person; someone who appears out of place or potentially threatening
- 不審火 (fushinbi) — a suspicious fire; a fire of unknown or doubtful origin, possibly arson
Example Sentences
審査の結果は来週発表されます。
Shinsa no kekka wa raishū happyō saremasu.
The results of the examination will be announced next week.
彼は不審な行動をとっていた。
Kare wa fushin na kōdō wo totte ita.
He was behaving in a suspicious manner.
国会で新しい法案が審議されている。
Kokkai de atarashii hōan ga shingi sarete iru.
A new bill is being deliberated in parliament.
審判が反則を取った。
Shinpan ga hansoku wo totta.
The referee called a foul.
写真コンテストの審査員に選ばれた。
Shashin kontesuto no shinsa-in ni erabareta.
I was chosen as a judge for the photography contest.
再審が認められ、被告は無罪となった。
Saishin ga mitomerare, hikoku wa muzai to natta.
The retrial was granted, and the defendant was found not guilty.
近所で不審者が目撃されたそうだ。
Kinjo de fushinsha ga mokugeki sareta sō da.
I heard that a suspicious person was spotted in the neighborhood.
陪審員たちは評議のために退廷した。
Baishinin-tachi wa hyōgi no tame ni taitei shita.
The jurors withdrew from the courtroom for deliberation.
入学審査は非常に厳しいと聞いた。
Nyūgaku shinsa wa hijō ni kibishii to kiita.
I heard that the entrance screening is extremely strict.
この事件の審理は数年かかると予想されている。
Kono jiken no shinri wa sūnen kakaru to yosō sarete iru.
The hearing for this case is expected to take several years.
Memory Tip
Picture a grand courthouse with a tiled roof (宀). Inside, officials are carefully sorting through case files one by one, in strict order (番 — taking turns, one after another). The roof (宀) shelters and formalizes the proceedings, while the lower component 番 (itself made of 釆 "to distinguish or sort" + 田 "a field or register") suggests methodically categorizing and analyzing each piece of evidence. Every time you see 審, imagine a judge seated under that roof, patiently working through a stack of documents — distinguishing truth from falsehood, fact from suspicion. Its 15 strokes are no coincidence: nothing about a real investigation moves quickly.