Definition
非礼 is a formal verb that literally means 'violating propriety'. In modern usage it primarily refers to sexual assault or indecent acts (a legal term). It also appears in classical idioms such as 非礼勿视 ('do not look at what is improper'), where it means 'impolite' or 'contrary to etiquette'. These two senses are quite different — the first is a serious criminal charge, the second is a philosophical concept. The word is a 动宾 (verb-object) compound; it does not take an object directly in the sexual-assault sense (you say 对她非礼, not 非礼她).
v.
(formal) to sexually assault or molest (someone)(literary) to be impoliteto violate etiquette
Examples
- 非礼。Tā yīnwèi zài gōnggòng qìchē shàng fēi lǐ nǚxìng bèi jǐngchá dàibǔ le.He was arrested by the police for sexually assaulting a woman on the bus.
- ：“非礼，非礼，非礼，非礼。”Kǒngzǐ shuō: “fēi lǐ wù shì, fēi lǐ wù tīng, fēi lǐ wù yán, fēi lǐ wù dòng.”Confucius said: 'Do not look at what is improper; do not listen to what is improper; do not speak what is improper; do not do what is improper.'
- 非礼。Fǎguān rèndìng bèigào de fēi lǐ xíngwéi gòuchéng fànzuì.The judge ruled that the defendant's indecent assault constituted a crime.
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