1.
private document
A document created by a private individual or organization, as opposed to an official or public document issued by a government body. In legal contexts, this distinction is important because forging private documents and public documents carry different penalties.
契約書は私文書に分類される。
Contracts are classified as private documents.
私文書偽造は犯罪だ。
Forging a private document is a crime.
私文書であっても、署名や押印があれば法的な効力を持つことがある。
Even a private document can have legal validity if it bears a signature or seal.
Compound of 私 (private; personal) and 文書 (document). The reading 文書 becomes しぶんしょ as a compound. In Japanese law, the distinction between 私文書 and 公文書 (public/official document) is significant — 公文書偽造 carries a heavier penalty than 私文書偽造.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 私文書偽造: forgery of a private document
- 私文書の作成: creation of a private document
- 私文書と公文書: private and public documents
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 公文書: public/official document, issued by a government body
- 書類: documents in general, without the legal private/public distinction
- 証書: certificate or deed, a formal document attesting to something