Chinese word

罪魁祸首

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuì kuí huò shǒu

Meaning

  • nounmain culprit

Example

事故的罪魁祸首已经被抓住了。shì gù de zuì kuí huò shǒu yǐ jīng bèi zhuā zhù le

The main culprit behind the accident has been arrested.

Illustration for 罪魁祸首 (main culprit)

More examples

调查认定罪魁祸首是设备老化。diào chá rèn dìng zuì kuí huò shǒu shì shè bèi lǎo huà

The investigation determined that aging equipment was the main culprit.

Core concept

The central source behind a harmful result, whether a person leading others or a factor causing it.

Common phrases

  • 抓住罪魁祸首zhuā zhù zuì kuí huò shǒu

    catch the main culprit

  • 查出罪魁祸首chá chū zuì kuí huò shǒu

    find the main culprit

  • 认定罪魁祸首rèn dìng zuì kuí huò shǒu

    identify the main culprit

  • 真正的罪魁祸首zhēn zhèng de zuì kuí huò shǒu

    the true main culprit

Similar words

主犯zhǔ fàn: The principal offender in a crime, leading its planning or execution.
主谋zhǔ móu: The central person who plans a crime or other wrongdoing.
肇事者zhào shì zhě: The person who directly causes an accident or violation.
元凶yuán xiōng: The main culprit behind an event or problem.

Definition in Chinese

泛指造成祸害或问题的主要肇事者或主要因素。fàn zhǐ zào chéng huò hài huò wèn tí de zhǔ yào zhào shì zhě huò zhǔ yào yīn sù

Word origin

罪 (zuì, "crime") + 魁 (kuí, "chief") and 祸 (huò, "trouble") + 首 (shǒu, "head") form two reinforcing compounds for the foremost source of wrongdoing or disaster.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often hear culprit as an individual offender, but this Chinese noun also naturally identifies a main cause such as a policy, design, or machine fault.

Other meanings

  • ringleadernoun
  • main causenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 祸首huò shǒuchief culpritnoun
  • 罪魁zuì kuíprincipal culpritnoun

Word lists with this word