判

pàn

(bound form) to differentiate; to distinguish

(bound form) clearly (different); to judge; to decide; to grade; (of a judge) to sentence

half (半) + knife (刂) = judge by cutting to a decision

The knife radical does the real semantic work: a blade cuts things apart, making distinctions clear and decisive. 半 mainly contributes the pàn sound.

半+刂→判
刂Knife (variant of 刀)Semantic
半HalfPhonetic

老师正在判学生的作业。

lǎo shī zhèng zài pàn xué sheng de zuò yè。

The teacher is grading the students' homework.

法官判他三年有期徒刑。

fǎ guān pàn tā sān nián yǒu qī tú xíng。

The judge sentenced him to three years in prison.

Words with 判

宣判

xuān pàn

to deliver one's judgement

裁判

cái pàn

(law) to judge; to adjudicate; verdict; judgement

判若两人

pàn ruò liǎng rén

to be a different person

判断

pàn duàn

to judge

判令

pàn lìng

decree

通判

tōng pàn

local magistrate

重判

zhòng pàn

major punishment (law)

预判

yù pàn

to predict; to anticipate

主裁判

zhǔ cái pàn

(sports) referee; umpire

五鬼闹判

wǔ guǐ nào pàn

Five ghosts mock the judge, or Five ghosts resist judgment (title of folk opera, idiom); important personage mobbed by a crowd of ne'er-do-wells

公判

gōng pàn

public opinion

公平审判权

gōng píng shěn pàn quán

the right to a fair trial

More characters with 半

伴拌绊胖泮叛衅