犯

fàn

to violate

HSK 6 — —

Character Breakdown

Usage of 犯 (fàn)

The character 犯 primarily means 'to commit' or 'to violate,' often used in contexts involving crimes, mistakes, or rule-breaking. It can refer to committing a crime (犯人 - criminal) or making an error (犯错误).

Common Collocations

  • 犯错误 (fàn cuòwù): to make a mistake
  • 犯罪 (fànzuì): to commit a crime
  • 犯规 (fànguī): to break rules

Nuances

When using 犯, the focus is on the act of committing or violating something, often with a negative connotation. It is frequently used in formal or written contexts, especially in legal or disciplinary situations.

Avoid Confusion

Do not confuse 犯 with similar verbs like 做 (zuò, to do) or 发生 (fāshēng, to happen). 犯 emphasizes the wrongful or illegal nature of the action.

Example Sentences

他犯了一个严重的错误。

Tā fàn le yí gè yánzhòng de cuòwù.

He committed a serious mistake.

警察抓住了那个犯人。

Jǐngchá zhuāzhù le nàgè fànrén.

The police caught the criminal.

他犯了交通规则,被罚款了。

Tā fàn le jiāotōng guīzé, bèi fákuǎn le.

He violated traffic rules and was fined.