案例 (àn lì) is a compound noun meaning 'case study' or 'legal case,' widely used in academic, professional, and judicial contexts. The first character 案 (àn) originally meant 'case file' or 'official matter,' while 例 (lì) means 'example' or 'precedent.' Together, they denote a real-world instance selected for analysis, illustration, or reference—especially one that exemplifies broader principles, patterns, or rulings.

This term appears frequently in law, medicine, business, education, and social sciences—for example, when discussing patient outcomes in clinical training (a medical case study), analyzing court decisions (a legal precedent), or teaching problem-solving through real scenarios. It carries a formal, objective tone and is rarely used in casual speech. Unlike colloquial terms like 例子 (lìzi, 'example'), 案例 implies documented, structured, and often authoritative relevance.