ànjiàn: 案件 - (Legal) Case, Lawsuit

• Keywords: 案件, anjian, Chinese for case, legal case in Chinese, what does anjian mean, police case Chinese, lawsuit in Chinese, criminal case China, civil case China, Chinese law vocabulary.
• Summary: The Chinese word 案件 (ànjiàn) is the primary term for a legal or police case. It's a formal noun used to describe a specific incident requiring official investigation or legal action, such as a criminal investigation, a lawsuit, or a civil dispute handled by the courts. Understanding ànjiàn is essential for reading Chinese news, watching crime dramas, or discussing any matter related to China's legal system.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): ànjiàn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A legal case, lawsuit, or a matter for official investigation.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 案件 (ànjiàn) as the official label for any problem that lands on a policeman's or a judge's desk. It’s not for a “case of the flu” or a “case of mistaken identity.” Instead, it's reserved for specific, concrete incidents—a robbery, a contract dispute, a murder—that have entered the formal legal or law enforcement system. It carries a serious, official tone.

• 案 (àn): This character originally meant a “low table” or “desk,” particularly one used by an official. Over time, its meaning expanded to include the “records,” “proposals,” or “cases” that would be placed upon such a desk for review.
• 件 (jiàn): This character is a very common measure word for “items,” “matters,” or “documents.” It quantifies something as a single, distinct unit. For example, 一件事 (yí jiàn shì) means “one matter,” and一件衣服 (yí jiàn yīfu) means “one piece of clothing.”

When combined, 案件 (ànjiàn) literally means “a case-document” or “a desk-matter.” This paints a clear picture: it is a specific, itemized matter (件) that is subject to official review (案).

The word 案件 (ànjiàn) reflects the formal, structured, and often bureaucratic nature of the Chinese legal system. Its usage is almost exclusively official, reinforcing the idea that legal matters are separate from everyday life and are handled by the state. In Western cultures, the word “case” is incredibly flexible. We can have a “medical case,” “a strong case for the argument,” or say “just in case.” This reflects a more general, adaptable use of the concept. 案件, by contrast, is highly domain-specific. It is strictly for legal, judicial, and police matters. You would never use 案件 to describe a business proposal or a medical situation. This linguistic specificity highlights the clear boundary in Chinese society between personal disputes (纠纷, jiūfēn) and official legal matters (案件, ànjiàn). A problem only graduates to becoming an 案件 when formal authorities like the police (警察, jǐngchá) or the courts (法院, fǎyuàn) become involved. This distinction underscores the state's central role as the arbiter of justice and law.

案件 is a high-frequency word in formal contexts but is also understood and used by everyone when discussing serious events.

• In the News and Media: This is where you'll encounter 案件 most often. News reports about crime, arrests, trials, and legal disputes will constantly use this term. For example, a headline might read: “警方破获一起重大案件” (Jǐngfāng pòhuò yì qǐ zhòngdà ànjiàn) - “Police crack a major case.”
• Legal and Official Settings: In legal documents, police reports, and courtroom proceedings, 案件 is the standard, non-negotiable term. Lawyers, judges, and police officers use it as part of their professional vocabulary.
• Everyday Conversation: While it's a formal word, everyday people use it when discussing events they've heard about in the news. For instance, two friends might talk about a famous criminal 案件. However, they would not refer to their own minor argument as an 案件 unless they decided to sue each other or call the police to file an official report.

The connotation of 案件 is inherently serious and neutral. It simply states that a matter has reached an official level of scrutiny.

Example 1: 警察正在调查这起案件。 Pinyin: Jǐngchá zhèngzài diàochá zhè qǐ ànjiàn. English: The police are currently investigating this case. Analysis: This is a classic, straightforward example. “起 (qǐ)” is a common measure word for cases and incidents. Example 2: 这是一起复杂的刑事案件。 Pinyin: Zhè shì yì qǐ fùzá de xíngshì ànjiàn. English: This is a complicated criminal case. Analysis: Here, 案件 is modified by “刑事 (xíngshì),” meaning “criminal,” to specify the type of case. This is a very common construction. Example 3: 这个案件引起了全国媒体的关注。 Pinyin: Zhège ànjiàn yǐnqǐle quánguó méitǐ de guānzhù. English: This case has attracted the attention of the national media. Analysis: Demonstrates how 案件 is used when discussing the social impact of a legal matter. Example 4: 律师说，这个案件的证据不足。 Pinyin: Lǜshī shuō, zhège ànjiàn de zhèngjù bùzú. English: The lawyer said that the evidence for this case is insufficient. Analysis: Shows the word's use in a purely legal context, related to evidence (证据, zhèngjù). Example 5: 他们之间的商业纠纷最终成了一起法律案件。 Pinyin: Tāmen zhījiān de shāngyè jiūfēn zuìzhōng chéngle yì qǐ fǎlǜ ànjiàn. English: Their business dispute eventually became a legal case. Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the transition from an informal dispute (纠纷, jiūfēn) to a formal 案件. Example 6: 警方宣布这起谋杀案件已经告破。 Pinyin: Jǐngfāng xuānbù zhè qǐ móushā ànjiàn yǐjīng gàopò. English: The police announced that this murder case has been solved. Analysis: “告破 (gàopò)” is a specific verb often paired with 案件, meaning “to be solved” or “cracked,” almost exclusively used by authorities. Example 7: 他因为一起网络诈骗案件而被判刑。 Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi yì qǐ wǎngluò zhàpiàn ànjiàn ér bèi pànxíng. English: He was sentenced because of an online fraud case. Analysis: Shows how new types of crime, like “网络诈骗 (wǎngluò zhàpiàn)” or internet fraud, are categorized as 案件. Example 8: 我们来分析一下这个案件的几个关键点。 Pinyin: Wǒmen lái fēnxī yíxià zhège ànjiàn de jǐ gè guānjiàn diǎn. English: Let's analyze a few key points of this case. Analysis: A neutral, analytical use of the word, common in discussions, studies, or professional settings. Example 9: 这是一起典型的民事案件，与离婚财产分割有关。 Pinyin: Zhè shì yì qǐ diǎnxíng de mínshì ànjiàn, yǔ líhūn cáichǎn fēngē yǒuguān. English: This is a typical civil case, related to the division of assets in a divorce. Analysis: Contrasts with “刑事案件 (xíngshì ànjiàn)”; “民事 (mínshì)” means “civil,” specifying a dispute between private parties rather than a crime against the state. Example 10: 这个案件的卷宗堆得像山一样高。 Pinyin: Zhège ànjiàn de juànzōng duī de xiàng shān yíyàng gāo. English: The case files for this case were piled as high as a mountain. Analysis: Shows how 案件 can refer not just to the incident itself, but also to the associated physical or digital records. “卷宗 (juànzōng)” means “case file” or “dossier.”

• False Friend: “Case” vs. 案件: The most common mistake is assuming 案件 can be used as broadly as the English word “case.”
  • INCORRECT: 我得了流感案件。(Wǒ déle liúgǎn ànjiàn.)
  • Reason: This is wrong. A medical issue is not a legal 案件. You should say 我得了流感 (Wǒ déle liúgǎn - I got the flu) or, in a medical context,这是一个流感病例 (zhè shì yí gè liúgǎn bìnglì - this is a flu case).
  • INCORRECT: 我把钥匙放在口袋里，以防万一的案件。(Wǒ bǎ yàoshi fàng zài kǒudài lǐ, yǐ fáng wànyī de ànjiàn.)
  • Reason: “Just in case” is a situation or possibility, not a legal 案件. The correct phrase is just 以防万一 (yǐ fáng wànyī).
• Don't Use for Minor, Unofficial Issues: 案件 is reserved for matters that have entered the official system.
  • INCORRECT: 我和邻居的争吵是一个小案件。(Wǒ hé línjū de zhēngchǎo shì yí gè xiǎo ànjiàn.)
  • Reason: An argument is a 争吵 (zhēngchǎo) or a 纠纷 (jiūfēn). It only becomes an 案件 if you file a police report or a lawsuit. Using 案件 here sounds overly dramatic and incorrect.

• 案子 (ànzi) - A more colloquial and common spoken equivalent of 案件. While 案件 is formal and written, you'll often hear people say 案子 in conversation.
• 事件 (shìjiàn) - Incident, event. This is a much broader term. An 案件 is a specific type of 事件 that is legal in nature.
• 诉讼 (sùsòng) - Lawsuit, litigation. This term refers specifically to the process of taking a case to court. An 案件 might lead to a 诉讼.
• 官司 (guānsi) - (Colloquial) Lawsuit. Often used in the phrase 打官司 (dǎ guānsi), which means “to sue” or “to go to court.”
• 刑事 (xíngshì) - Criminal (law). An adjective used to create phrases like 刑事案件 (criminal case) and 刑事责任 (criminal responsibility).
• 民事 (mínshì) - Civil (law). An adjective used for non-criminal legal matters, as in 民事案件 (civil case) and 民事纠纷 (civil dispute).
• 法院 (fǎyuàn) - Court, courthouse. The place where a legal 案件 is heard and judged.
• 警察 (jǐngchá) - Police. The authority responsible for investigating a criminal 案件.
• 律师 (lǜshī) - Lawyer. The legal professional who represents clients in an 案件.
• 证据 (zhèngjù) - Evidence, proof. The collection of facts and items used to resolve an 案件.