正邪(せいじゃ)

せいじゃ
noun
right and wrong; good and evil
1. right and wrong; good and evil; justice and injustice
A formal compound contrasting the morally correct (正(せい)) with the morally wrong (邪(じゃ)). Used in writing and serious discussion to refer to the distinction itself.
正邪(せいじゃ)を見極(みきわ)める。
To judge right from wrong.
正邪(せいじゃ)の判断(はんだん)は難(むずか)しい。
Judging right and wrong is difficult.
裁判所(さいばんしょ)は法(ほう)に基(もと)づいて正邪(せいじゃ)を判定(はんてい)する。
Courts determine right and wrong based on the law.

A formal, written-Japanese compound. In everyday speech, 善悪(ぜんあく) (good and evil) is more common.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 正邪(せいじゃ)を判断(はんだん)する: to judge right and wrong
  • 正邪(せいじゃ)を見極(みきわ)める: to discern right from wrong
  • 正邪(せいじゃ)の区別(くべつ): the distinction between right and wrong

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 善悪(ぜんあく): good and evil — more common, used in both speech and writing
  • 是非(ぜひ): rights and wrongs; whether to do something — also means 'by all means' as an adverb
general
Added 2026.6.8 13:06
28500/28957_seija