Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 犯

犯

Level:N3 Mid
Strokes:5
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji 犯 (han) primarily conveys the meaning of "to commit a crime," "to violate," or "offense." It signifies an action that breaks a rule, law, or moral standard. It's often associated with criminal behavior, but can also refer to transgressions in other contexts.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ハン (han) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): おか.す (okas.u)

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 犯罪 (hanzai) Translation: Crime ⚫︎ 犯人 (hannin) Translation: Criminal; Offender ⚫︎ 罪を犯す (tsumi o okasu) Translation: To commit a crime

Origin and Formation

The kanji 犯 (han) is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side is a component representing a dog 犬 (inu), and the right side is 反 (han). The 犬 (inu) part is semantic, initially representing something that can be controlled or restrained, suggesting a violation of boundaries. The 反 part is phonetic, contributing the sound (han), but it doesn't directly relate to the meaning. The character evolved over time, solidifying its association with wrongdoing and transgression.

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