Definition
作奸犯科 is a formal four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'to violate the law and commit crimes.' It is used in legal, journalistic, or formal contexts to describe serious criminal behavior. The phrase is not used in everyday conversation — you'll see it in news reports, court documents, or official statements. It has a strong condemnatory tone and implies premeditated wrongdoing.
f.e.
to violate the law and commit crimes (formal, used in legal/journalistic contexts)
Examples
- 作奸犯科。Rènhé zuō de xíngwéi dōu huì shòudào fǎlǜ de zhìcái.Any act of violating the law and committing crimes will be punished by the law.
- 作奸犯科，。Zhège tuánhuǒ chángqī zuō, zhōngyú bèi jǐngfāng zhuāhuò.This gang had been violating the law and committing crimes for a long time and was finally caught by the police.
- 作奸犯科。Zhèngfǔ yánlì dǎjī zuō de fǔbài fènzǐ.The government severely cracks down on corrupt elements who violate the law and commit crimes.
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