fǎtíng: 法庭 - Courtroom, Court (of law)

• Keywords: fating, fǎtíng, 法庭, Chinese for court, Chinese for courtroom, Chinese legal system, what is fating, 法院 vs 法庭, Chinese law vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the Chinese word for “courtroom,” 法庭 (fǎtíng). This guide breaks down the characters 法 (law) and 庭 (hall), explains its cultural significance in modern China, and clarifies the crucial difference between 法庭 (fǎtíng) (the courtroom) and 法院 (fǎyuàn) (the courthouse/institution). With 10 practical example sentences, you'll understand how to use this essential HSK 5 legal term correctly in any conversation about law and justice.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fǎtíng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 5
• Concise Definition: A courtroom; the physical place where legal cases are heard.
• In a Nutshell: 法庭 (fǎtíng) literally translates to “law hall” or “law courtyard.” It refers specifically to the room inside a courthouse where a judge presides, lawyers argue, and a trial takes place. Think of it as the stage for the drama of the legal system.

• 法 (fǎ): This character means “law,” “method,” or “standard.” The left part (氵) is the “water” radical, which historically symbolized levelness and fairness. The right part (去, qù) means “to go” or “to remove.” Together, they evoke the idea of using a fair standard (like level water) to remove wrongdoing.
• 庭 (tíng): This character means “hall” or “courtyard.” The top part (广) is a radical for a “shelter” or “building,” and the bottom part (廷) is a phonetic component that itself means “court” (like a royal court).

When combined, 法庭 (fǎtíng) creates a clear and literal image: a “hall of law,” which is exactly what a courtroom is.

In traditional China, justice was dispensed in a `衙门 (yámén)`, a government office that combined administrative, police, and judicial functions. The image of a stern magistrate solving disputes in a courtyard is a staple of historical dramas. This has shaped a cultural view of legal proceedings as a very serious, final, and often intimidating affair. While China's modern legal system is now structured similarly to Western systems, the cultural preference for avoiding direct conflict remains. Unlike in a more litigious culture like the United States where “See you in court!” can be a common threat, traditionally in China, taking someone to 法庭 (fǎtíng) was seen as a last resort. It signaled a complete breakdown of a relationship and a failure to achieve harmony (和谐, héxié) through mediation or other, less confrontational means. Today, with a more robust legal framework, using the 法庭 is becoming more common for civil and commercial disputes. However, the perception of it as a place of high formality and seriousness, rather than a routine tool for conflict resolution, largely persists.

法庭 (fǎtíng) is a formal term used in specific contexts. You'll hear it constantly in:

• News Reports: When covering trials, criminal cases, or legal reforms.
• Legal Dramas: Chinese TV shows and movies about lawyers and judges use it frequently.
• Formal Discussions: When people discuss an actual legal case they are involved in or know about.

It is not used casually. You wouldn't say “Let's have a little `fǎtíng`” to jokingly resolve a friendly argument. Its connotation is neutral but carries a heavy weight of seriousness and formality.

• Example 1:
• 大家都站起来，法官走进了法庭。
• Pinyin: Dàjiā dōu zhàn qǐlái, fǎguān zǒu jìnle fǎtíng.
• English: Everyone stood up as the judge entered the courtroom.
• Analysis: This sentence describes a typical, formal scene inside a 法庭. `走进 (zǒu jìn)` means “to walk into.”
• Example 2:
• 在法庭上，你必须说实话。
• Pinyin: Zài fǎtíng shàng, nǐ bìxū shuō shíhuà.
• English: In court, you must tell the truth.
• Analysis: The phrase `在…上 (zài…shàng)` is often used with 法庭 to mean “in court” or “before the court,” emphasizing the official setting of the proceedings.
• Example 3:
• 他的律师在法庭上提出了新的证据。
• Pinyin: Tā de lǜshī zài fǎtíng shàng tíchūle xīn de zhèngjù.
• English: His lawyer presented new evidence in the courtroom.
• Analysis: This shows 法庭 as the venue for legal actions like `提出证据 (tíchū zhèngjù)`, “to present evidence.”
• Example 4:
• 整个法庭鸦雀无声，等待着判决。
• Pinyin: Zhěnggè fǎtíng yāquèwúshēng, děngdàizhe pànjué.
• English: The entire courtroom was utterly silent, awaiting the verdict.
• Analysis: `鸦雀无声 (yāquèwúshēng)` is a four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning “so quiet you couldn't even hear a crow or sparrow,” perfectly capturing the tense atmosphere of a 法庭.
• Example 5:
• 如果我们不能私下解决，那我们只好法庭上见了。
• Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen bùnéng sīxià jiějué, nà wǒmen zhǐhǎo fǎtíng shàng jiànle.
• English: If we can't resolve this privately, then we'll have to see each other in court.
• Analysis: `法庭上见 (fǎtíng shàng jiàn)` is the direct equivalent of the English phrase “See you in court.” It's a serious threat.
• Example 6:
• 这次审判将在第三法庭进行。
• Pinyin: Zhè cì shěnpàn jiāng zài dì sān fǎtíng jìnxíng.
• English: This trial will be held in Courtroom No. 3.
• Analysis: This demonstrates how 法庭 can be numbered, just like in English, to refer to a specific room within a courthouse.
• Example 7:
• 由于被告生病，法庭决定休庭。
• Pinyin: Yóuyú bèigào shēngbìng, fǎtíng juédìng xiūtíng.
• English: Because the defendant was ill, the court decided to adjourn.
• Analysis: Here, 法庭 is used to represent the presiding authority (the judge) making a decision. `休庭 (xiūtíng)` means to “adjourn the court.”
• Example 8:
• 记者们被禁止进入法庭拍照。
• Pinyin: Jìzhěmen bèi jìnzhǐ jìnrù fǎtíng pāizhào.
• English: Reporters were forbidden from entering the courtroom to take pictures.
• Analysis: A good example using the passive voice structure `被 (bèi)` to show an action being done to someone.
• Example 9:
• 这是一个民事法庭，不是刑事法庭。
• Pinyin: Zhè shì yíge mínshì fǎtíng, búshì xíngshì fǎtíng.
• English: This is a civil court, not a criminal court.
• Analysis: Shows how you can specify the type of court by adding adjectives like `民事 (mínshì)` for civil and `刑事 (xíngshì)` for criminal.
• Example 10:
• 即使在舆论的法庭上他已经输了，我们仍需等待法律的判决。
• Pinyin: Jíshǐ zài yúlùn de fǎtíng shàng tā yǐjīng shūle, wǒmen réng xū děngdài fǎlǜ de pànjué.
• English: Even though he has already lost in the court of public opinion, we still need to wait for the legal verdict.
• Analysis: This shows a figurative use. `舆论的法庭 (yúlùn de fǎtíng)` is a direct parallel to the English idiom “the court of public opinion.”

The most critical mistake learners make is confusing 法庭 (fǎtíng) with 法院 (fǎyuàn).

• 法庭 (fǎtíng): The room. The physical space where a trial is held. (Courtroom)
• 法院 (fǎyuàn): The institution or the building. (The Court / Courthouse)

Think of it this way: A 法院 (fǎyuàn) is a large building that contains multiple 法庭 (fǎtíng) rooms inside it. Incorrect Usage:

• `我去了最高法庭。` (Wǒ qùle zuìgāo fǎtíng.)
• Why it's wrong: The Supreme Court is an institution, not just one room. You are referring to the entire organization.
• Correct: `我去了最高法院。` (Wǒ qùle zuìgāo fǎyuàn.) - I went to the Supreme Court.

Correct Usage:

• `我们在三号法庭等待开庭。` (Wǒmen zài sān hào fǎtíng děngdài kāitíng.)
• Why it's right: You are waiting in a specific room, “Courtroom No. 3.”

Another point of confusion is with the historical term `朝廷 (cháotíng)`, which means “Imperial Court” – the place where the emperor and his officials held court. Do not use 法庭 (fǎtíng) to refer to royalty or ancient government.

• 法院 (fǎyuàn) - The courthouse or the court as an institution (e.g., The Supreme Court). The broader concept that contains `法庭`.
• 法官 (fǎguān) - The judge who presides over the `法庭`.
• 律师 (lǜshī) - The lawyer who argues a case in the `法庭`.
• 法律 (fǎlǜ) - The laws and statutes that are applied in a `法庭`.
• 审判 (shěnpàn) - The trial or judgment that takes place within a `法庭`.
• 开庭 (kāitíng) - To “open the court”; the act of beginning a court session.
• 原告 (yuángào) - The plaintiff; the person who initiates a lawsuit.
• 被告 (bèigào) - The defendant; the person being sued or accused.
• 证据 (zhèngjù) - The evidence presented in a `法庭`.
• 朝廷 (cháotíng) - The Imperial Court (historical). An important antonym in terms of context (legal vs. royal).