Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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
Choose the correct answer:
About 犯
犯Simplified
5Strokes
犭Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#752Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 犯
Podcast: 犯
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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.
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.
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
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 犯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 𢎘 represents the sound.
1The meaning half犭 carries the sense.
2The sound half㔾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaydog
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 犯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 犯?
Decomposition of 犯
IDS Structure⿰犭㔾
犯Full Character
=
犭quan3
left
㔾xian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 犯?
How to say to violate in Chinese
“to violate” in Chinese is犯fàn
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.
When to use 犯
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.
犯 or something close to it
犯 (fàn) vs 违 (wéi) — choose 犯 when emphasizing wrongdoing or offense, while 违 focuses on violation of rules or regulations.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 犯
犯
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 犯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
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.
