审判 (shěnpàn) reflects key aspects of the Chinese legal and social framework. Unlike the American ideal of a trial by a jury of one's peers (an adversarial system), the Chinese legal system is primarily an inquisitorial system. This means the judge or a panel of judges plays a much more active role in investigating the facts of the case, questioning witnesses, and seeking the truth. The word 审判 thus carries a strong sense of authoritative investigation and state-led judgment, rather than a contest between two opposing lawyers refereed by a neutral party. Metaphorically, 审判 is used in a very grave and powerful way. The phrase 历史的审判 (lìshǐ de shěnpàn)—“the judgment of history”—is a profound concept. It implies that even if individuals or regimes escape legal justice in their time, their actions will ultimately be evaluated and judged by future generations. This reflects a deep-seated cultural belief in an ultimate, inescapable moral reckoning, even if it isn't religious in nature. It's a final, impartial verdict delivered by the passage of time itself.
审判 is a formal term you'll encounter in specific, serious contexts.