pànxíng: 判刑 - To Sentence, Pass a Sentence

• Keywords: pànxíng, 判刑, Chinese legal term, sentence to prison in Chinese, Chinese court sentence, what does panxing mean, Chinese law, criminal punishment China, be sentenced in Chinese, 定罪, 坐牢
• Summary: Understand the crucial Chinese legal term 判刑 (pànxíng), which means “to sentence” or “to pass a sentence”. This guide breaks down what pànxíng means within the Chinese court system, explaining how it's used in news and formal discussions about criminal punishment in China. Learn the key difference between being convicted (定罪) and being sentenced (判刑), and discover how this serious, formal term is applied in real-world examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): pàn xíng
• Part of Speech: Verb (specifically, a verb-object compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To pass a sentence on a convicted criminal.
• In a Nutshell: 判刑 (pànxíng) is the official action a judge takes to declare the specific punishment for a crime. It's not about guilt or innocence—that's already decided. This word refers to the moment the penalty, such as years in prison or a fine, is formally assigned. It is a very formal and serious legal term.

• 判 (pàn): To judge, to decide, to distinguish. The character combines 半 (bàn, “half”) and 刂 (dāo, a variant of the “knife” radical). You can visualize a judge using a “knife” to split a case in two or make a decisive “cut” or judgment.
• 刑 (xíng): Punishment, penalty, sentence. This character also contains the “knife” radical (刂), reinforcing the idea of punishment or enforcement.
• The two characters combine literally to mean “to judge a punishment,” which perfectly captures the meaning of passing a legal sentence.

判刑 (pànxíng) offers a window into the structure of the Chinese legal system. Unlike the American system, which often features a jury that determines guilt and a judge who later determines the sentence (sometimes after a separate hearing), the Chinese system is typically judge-centric. There is no jury of peers in the vast majority of cases. The act of 判刑 is performed by a judge or a panel of judges (法官, fǎguān) who also determine guilt. This concentrates significant authority in the hands of the state's legal apparatus. The term carries a heavy weight of finality and state authority. When someone is 判刑, it's considered the conclusion of a state-led process. While an American might say, “The jury convicted him, and the judge sentenced him to ten years,” the Chinese process is more streamlined. The court (法院, fǎyuàn) finds the person guilty (定罪, dìngzuì) and sentences them (判刑) in its judgment (判决, pànjué). The cultural feeling is less about a debate between two opposing sides (prosecution and defense) and more about the state delivering a final, authoritative judgment.

判刑 is a formal term used exclusively in the context of law and justice. You will encounter it constantly in:

• News Reports: Announcing the outcome of a criminal trial.
• Legal Documents: In official court verdicts and records.
• Formal Discussions: When people discuss serious criminal cases.

It is not a casual word. You would never use it for minor infractions like getting a parking ticket or being told off by a parent. Using it in a lighthearted or informal context would sound strange and inappropriate. Its connotation is always serious and negative, as it's associated with crime and punishment.

• Example 1:
  • 他因抢劫罪被判刑十年。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīn qiǎngjié zuì bèi pànxíng shí nián.
  • English: He was sentenced to ten years in prison for the crime of robbery.
  • Analysis: This is a classic structure. Note the use of the passive marker 被 (bèi), which is very common with 判刑. The structure is: [Person] + 因 (yīn, “because of”) + [Crime] + 被 (bèi) + 判刑 + [Duration].
• Example 2:
  • 法官今天会对被告进行判刑。
  • Pinyin: Fǎguān jīntiān huì duì bèigào jìnxíng pànxíng.
  • English: The judge will sentence the defendant today.
  • Analysis: Here, 判刑 is used as a noun, the object of the verb 进行 (jìnxíng, “to carry out”). 对…进行 (duì…jìnxíng) is a formal way to say “to do something to someone/something.”
• Example 3:
  • 如果证据确凿，他很可能会被从重判刑。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ zhèngjù quèzuò, tā hěn kěnéng huì bèi cóngzhòng pànxíng.
  • English: If the evidence is conclusive, he will likely be sentenced harshly.
  • Analysis: 从重 (cóngzhòng) means “severely” or “heavily.” It's an adverb that modifies 判刑, showing the severity of the sentence. The opposite is 从轻 (cóngqīng), “leniently.”
• Example 4:
  • 他正在等待法院的判刑。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài děngdài fǎyuàn de pànxíng.
  • English: He is awaiting the court's sentencing.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, 判刑 functions as a noun, meaning “the sentence” or “the act of sentencing.”
• Example 5:
  • 那个贪官最终被判刑无期。
  • Pinyin: Nàge tānguān zuìzhōng bèi pànxíng wúqī.
  • English: That corrupt official was finally sentenced to life in prison.
  • Analysis: 无期 (wúqī) is short for 无期徒刑 (wúqī túxíng), “life imprisonment.” This shows how 判刑 can be followed by specific types of sentences.
• Example 6:
  • 去年，有数千名罪犯被判刑。
  • Pinyin: Qùnián, yǒu shù qiān míng zuìfàn bèi pànxíng.
  • English: Last year, several thousand criminals were sentenced.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual statement you might see in a government report or news summary.
• Example 7:
  • 法院依法判刑，以示公正。
  • Pinyin: Fǎyuàn yīfǎ pànxíng, yǐ shì gōngzhèng.
  • English: The court passed the sentence in accordance with the law to show fairness.
  • Analysis: 依法 (yīfǎ) means “according to the law.” This is a very common and formal collocation, emphasizing the legal basis of the sentence.
• Example 8:
  • 他被判刑三年，缓刑两年。
  • Pinyin: Tā bèi pànxíng sān nián, huǎnxíng liǎng nián.
  • English: He was sentenced to three years, with a two-year probation (suspended sentence).
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a more complex sentence structure. 缓刑 (huǎnxíng) means “probation” or “suspended sentence.”
• Example 9:
  • 许多人认为对他的判刑太轻了。
  • Pinyin: Xǔduō rén rènwéi duì tā de pànxíng tài qīng le.
  • English: Many people think his sentence was too light.
  • Analysis: Here, 判刑 is again used as a noun (“the sentence”). 太轻了 (tài qīng le) means “too light,” the opposite of 太重了 (tài zhòng le), “too heavy.”
• Example 10:
  • 只要你认罪，法院就可能从轻判刑。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ rènzuì, fǎyuàn jiù kěnéng cóngqīng pànxíng.
  • English: As long as you plead guilty, the court might sentence you leniently.
  • Analysis: This sentence connects pleading guilty (认罪, rènzuì) with the possibility of a lighter sentence (从轻判刑, cóngqīng pànxíng).

The biggest pitfall for English speakers is confusing 判刑 with similar but distinct legal concepts.

• 判刑 (pànxíng) vs. 定罪 (dìngzuì - to convict)
  • 定罪 (dìngzuì) is the act of finding someone guilty. It's the “conviction.”
  • 判刑 (pànxíng) is the act of assigning the punishment *after* conviction. It's the “sentencing.”
  • In Chinese, these are two separate steps. A court first finds you guilty (定罪), and then it sentences you (判刑).
  • Incorrect: 他被判刑有罪。 (Tā bèi pànxíng yǒuzuì.) → “He was sentenced guilty.” This is wrong.
  • Correct: 他被定罪了，法院明天会判刑。(Tā bèi dìngzuì le, fǎyuàn míngtiān huì pànxíng.) → “He has been convicted, and the court will pass the sentence tomorrow.”
• 判刑 (pànxíng) vs. 坐牢 (zuòláo - to be in jail)
  • 判刑 (pànxíng) is the single action performed by the judge.
  • 坐牢 (zuòláo) is the ongoing state of being in prison. “To sit in jail.”
  • You are sentenced (判刑) once, and then you serve time in prison (坐牢) for a period.
  • Incorrect: 他正在判刑十年。 (Tā zhèngzài pànxíng shí nián.) → “He is in the process of sentencing ten years.”
  • Correct: 他被判刑十年，现在正在坐牢。(Tā bèi pànxíng shí nián, xiànzài zhèngzài zuòláo.) → “He was sentenced to ten years and is now serving his time in prison.”

• 定罪 (dìngzuì) - To convict; to find guilty. The step that happens *before* 判刑.
• 坐牢 (zuòláo) - To be in prison; to serve a jail sentence. The state that happens *after* 判刑.
• 判决 (pànjué) - A judgment; a verdict. A broader term that includes both the conviction (定罪) and the sentence (判刑).
• 法官 (fǎguān) - Judge. The person who performs the action of 判刑.
• 法院 (fǎyuàn) - Court; courthouse. The institution where 判刑 takes place.
• 罪犯 (zuìfàn) - A criminal. The person who receives the 判刑.
• 死刑 (sǐxíng) - The death penalty; capital punishment. The most severe type of 判刑. Note the shared character 刑.
• 有期徒刑 (yǒuqī túxíng) - Fixed-term imprisonment. A common type of sentence specified during 判刑.
• 无期徒刑 (wúqī túxíng) - Life imprisonment. Another type of sentence.
• 缓刑 (huǎnxíng) - Probation; suspended sentence. A more lenient outcome of 判刑.