faan6 zeoi6犯罪
Jyutpingfaan6 zeoi6
Yalefaahn jeuih
Definition
To commit a crime; to engage in illegal activity.
neutralother
How it's used
犯罪 is a formal term primarily used in legal or news contexts rather than casual conversation. When speaking about breaking the law in everyday life, people often use phrases like 做壞事 or 犯法 instead. It carries a serious weight and is rarely used to describe minor infractions or social faux pas.
Examples
He started committing crimes when he was very young.
Do you know that committing a crime means going to jail?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 犯罪 with 犯法. While 犯罪 specifically refers to the act of committing a crime, 犯法 is a broader term meaning to break the law, which can apply to minor administrative offenses that might not be classified as criminal acts.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
