HSK · Level 6
133 words
Chinese word
罪
Pronunciation
Pinyinzuì
Meaning
- nouncrime
Example
他犯了罪，已经被抓了。tā fàn le zuì yǐ jīng bèi zhuā le
He committed a crime and has already been arrested.
More examples
他一直背负着深重的罪恶感，晚上难以入睡。tā yì zhí bēi fù zhe shēn zhòng de zuì è gǎn wǎn shàng nán yǐ rù shuì
He has been carrying a heavy sense of guilt and has difficulty falling asleep at night.
Core concept
A serious wrong treated as something a person must answer for before society, law, or conscience.
Common phrases
有罪判决yǒu zuì pàn jué
verdict of guilt
罪恶感zuì è gǎn
feeling of guilt
Similar words
犯罪fàn zuì: An act that breaks the law and can lead to punishment.
罪名zuì míng: The official name given to an illegal act in a prosecution or trial.
罪责zuì zé: The blame and responsibility a person bears for a wrongdoing.
罪恶zuì è: A morally evil quality or act.
Definition in Chinese
给人或社会带来责难并应承担处罚的行为或过错。gěi rén huò shè huì dài lái zé nàn bìng yìng chéng dān chǔ fá de xíng wéi huò guò cuò
Word origin
The character 罪 (zuì, "crime") is traditionally associated with 罒 (wǎng, "net") + 非 (fēi, "wrong"), linking wrongdoing with being caught and held answerable.
Usage tips
- Native English speakers may hear this word as strictly legal, but Chinese also uses it for serious moral wrongdoing, so the setting determines whether the focus is law, conscience, or religion.
Other meanings
- sinnoun
- guiltnoun
- faultnoun
Related words
- 罪恶感zuì è gǎnsense of guiltnoun
- 有罪yǒu zuìguiltyadjective