犯 meaning and stroke order
To violate; to offend; to assault
How to write 犯, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 4
- 5
Meaning of 犯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to violate
- to offend
- to assault
- criminal
- crime
- to make a mistake
How 犯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dog.
犭 gives the meaning and 㔾 hints at the sound.
Radical: 犭 (dog), shared by 88 characters on this site.
How to remember 犯
The left side 犭 is the dog radical, and the right side 㔾 gives the sound. Picture a dog crouching beside a kneeling figure, about to break the rules and attack, which is how 犯 (fàn) means to violate or offend.
犯 (fàn) is usually used in words like 犯罪 (fànzuì, to commit a crime), 犯规 (fànguī, to break the rules) and 罪犯 (zuìfàn, criminal). It also pairs with 错误 to mean making a mistake. 他又犯了同样的错误。 (Tā yòu fàn le tóngyàng de cuòwù.) He made the same mistake again.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 犯 (fàn) with 范 (fàn) as in 范围 (fànwéi, scope) because they sound the same. Remember that 犯 has the dog radical 犭 and is about wrongdoing, while 范 has the grass radical on top.
Common words with 犯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 犯罪 | fànzuì | to commit a crime; crime; offense | HSK 6 |
| 侵犯 | qīnfàn | to infringe on; to encroach on | HSK 6 |
| 犯规 | fànguī | to break the rules; an illegality | HSK 6 |
| 罪犯 | zuìfàn | criminal | HSK 7-9 |
| 囚犯 | qiúfàn | prisoner; convict | HSK 7-9 |
| 冒犯 | màofàn | to offend | HSK 7-9 |
| 触犯 | chùfàn | to violate; to offend | HSK 7-9 |
| 犯愁 | fànchóu | to worry; to be anxious | HSK 7-9 |
| 犯人 | fànrén | convict; prisoner | |
| 嫌犯 | xiánfàn | criminal suspect | |
| 杀人犯 | shārénfàn | murderer; homicide | |
| 疑犯 | yífàn | a suspect | |
| 犯错 | fàncuò | to err; to make a mistake | |
| 嫌疑犯 | xiányífàn | a suspect |
犯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 犯
How many strokes are in 犯?
犯 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 犯 mean?
犯 (fàn) means to violate; to offend; to assault. A common word with it is 犯罪 (fànzuì), meaning "to commit a crime; crime; offense".
How do you pronounce 犯?
犯 is pronounced fàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 犯?
The radical of 犯 is 犭, which carries the idea of "dog". Dictionaries list 犯 under this radical.
Is 犯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 犯 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say 'to make a mistake' with 犯?
Say 犯错 (fàn cuò) or 犯错误 (fàn cuòwù). For example, 每个人都会犯错。 (Měi gè rén dōu huì fàn cuò.) Everyone makes mistakes.
Does 犯 always mean something criminal?
No. It can mean simply to have or fall into an unwanted state, as in 犯愁 (fànchóu, to worry). It also appears in 冒犯 (màofàn, to offend someone), which is about rudeness, not crime.