The Meaning of jiken [事件] In Japanese

事件
じけん
Romaji: jiken N3

What does 事件 mean?

Translation and Meaning

incident, event, case, affair

Definition

What does 事件 mean? It denotes a notable happening or occurrence, typically one that is newsworthy or under consideration, such as an incident, event, or case. In Japanese, 事件 is used in journalism, legal, and public discourse to refer to matters that require attention, investigation, or discussion, including crimes, accidents, or significant disruptions.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • An incident or occurrence reported or discussed as an event in journalism or conversation.
  • A specific case or matter under investigation or review in legal, police, or formal contexts.
  • A notable happening; used in headlines or formal writing to reference crimes, accidents, or significant disruptions.

Etymology

kanji-based etymology A Sino-Japanese compound formed from the kanji 事 and 件; the reading じけん uses on’yomi for both characters, yielding the modern pronunciation and sense of a ‘matter’ or ‘event’ under consideration.

Composition

  • 事: thing, matter, affair
  • 件: item, matter, case
  • Combined meaning: a matter or event treated as a unit that is under discussion or investigation

Usage

Used across formal registers, including news, law, and bureaucratic language, to denote a concrete incident, case, or event that warrants attention; in casual speech it is less common than 出来事 or 事故 but still appears in discussions of noteworthy happenings or criminal cases.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: Picture two kanji stamps on a file: 事 (thing) and 件 (item) coming together to label a ‘case’—jiken means an event or incident that is being examined.

Variations

  • 出来事 (dekigoto) – event, occurrence
  • 事故 (jiko) – accident, incident
  • 騒動 (soudou) – disturbance, uproar

Example Phrases

  • 駅前で小さな事件が起きて、私は友達に連絡した。
    Ekimae de chiisana jiken ga okite, watashi wa tomodachi ni renraku shita.
    A small incident occurred near the station, and I contacted a friend.
    Lista:
    • 駅前で (ekimae de) – at the station
    • 小さな (chiisana) – small
    • 事件が (jiken ga) – the incident
    • 起きて (okite) – happening
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 友達に (tomodachi ni) – to a friend
    • 連絡した (renraku shita) – contacted
    The noun 「事件」 means ‘incident’ and functions as the subject of 起きる; here 起きて connects to the next clause.
事件