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March 24, 2026
犯fàn(fan4)
The character 犯 (fàn) primarily means 'to violate' or 'to offend,' often in a legal or moral context. It can refer to committing a crime or making a mistake, emphasizing the notion of wrongdoing. In everyday usage, it may also describe recurring issues or errors.
Strokes5Radical犭Frequency#752DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 犯 often relates to the idea of maintaining social harmony and the repercussions of actions that disturb this balance. The legal system emphasizes the importance of one's actions and their impact on the community.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'fan' (fàn) spinning in circles, representing the repetitive nature of making the same mistakes over and over again. The character 犯 includes the radical 犭 (dog), often associated with behavior that might be seen as 'wild' or 'bad,' linking to the idea of offending or committing a crime.
Meanings of 犯
fàn(fan4)
1to violate
2to offend
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 犯
犯Simplified
5Strokes
犭Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#752Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 犯
Podcast: 犯
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AI Study Notes for 犯
Quick Contrast
犯 (fàn) vs 违 (wéi) — choose 犯 when emphasizing wrongdoing or offense, while 违 focuses on violation of rules or regulations.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'fan' (fàn) spinning in circles, representing the repetitive nature of making the same mistakes over and over again. The character 犯 includes the radical 犭 (dog), often associated with behavior that might be seen as 'wild' or 'bad,' linking to the idea of offending or committing a crime.
Usage Notes
犯 is often used in formal contexts related to law or ethics. Common collocations include 犯罪 (fànzuì - to commit a crime) and 犯错 (fàncuò - to make a mistake). Be mindful of the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning significantly.
HSK Study Tips
While 犯 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK words related to error (错 cuò) or crime (罪 zuì). Students should focus on using it in context to describe actions that are wrongful or mistakes.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 犯 often relates to the idea of maintaining social harmony and the repercussions of actions that disturb this balance. The legal system emphasizes the importance of one's actions and their impact on the community.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 犯 with the similar-sounding 反 (fǎn), which means 'to oppose' or 'to turn back.' For instance, saying 犯恶 (fàn è) instead of 反恶 (fǎn è) misuses the word for the context of opposing evil.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 犯
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Grammar Patterns of 犯
犯 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The jury found that the NFL had violated antitrust laws.
5
哪个校长只要犯了这样的错误都会被开除。
nǎ gè xiào cháng zhī yào fàn le zhè yàng de cuò wù dū huì bèi kāi chú。
Any head teacher who made errors like this would be chucked out.
6
囚犯撒野闹事，砸毁了所有挡路的东西。
qiú fàn sā yě nào shì， ， zá huǐ le suǒ yǒu dǎng lù de dōng。
The prisoners went on the rampage destroying everything in their way.
7
这正是很多父母犯错的地方。
zhè zhèng shì hěn duō fù mǔ fàn cuò de dì fāng。
This is where a lot of parents go wrong.
8
他们这么做是犯罪,这可不是开玩笑的.
tā mén zhè mó zuò shì fàn zuì, , zhè kě bù shì kāi wán xiào.
Their behaviour is an offence. It's no laughing matter.
9
他犯了罪，这是无可争辩的。
tā fàn le zuì， ， zhè shì wú kě zhēng biàn。
He committed a crime, no ifs or buts about it.
10
这番冒犯性的话实际上是一名观众的诘难。
zhè fān mào fàn xìng de huà shí jì shàng shì yī míng guān zhòng de jié nán。
The offending comment was in fact a heckle from an audience member.
Cultural Notes for 犯
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 犯 often relates to the idea of maintaining social harmony and the repercussions of actions that disturb this balance. The legal system emphasizes the importance of one's actions and their impact on the community.
Word Family of 犯
Words Containing This Character20
犯罪fànzuìcrime
犯fànto violate
罪犯zuìfàncriminal
侵犯qīnfànto infringe on
犯规fànguīa foul犯規
犯人convict
嫌犯criminal suspect
冒犯màofànto offend
囚犯qiúfànprisoner
嫌疑犯a suspect
杀人犯murderer殺人犯
疑犯a suspect
逃犯escaped criminal
犯法to break the law
触犯chùfànto violate觸犯
战犯war criminal戰犯
犯罪行为criminal activity犯罪行為
犯错to err犯錯
强奸犯rapist強姦犯
主犯culprit
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 犯罪 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 犯
犯罪 (fànzuì) specifically refers to committing a crime, while 犯错 (fàncuò) refers to making a mistake.
Yes, 犯 can also be used to describe personal mistakes or offenses in everyday situations.
犯 is generally used in formal contexts, especially legal or moral discussions.
