主凶 (zhǔ xiōng) — prime/chief culprit (in a murder case)

Definition

noun

prime/chief culprit (in a murder case)

Measure word · 个

主凶，。
Jǐng fāng yǐ jiāng zhǔ xiōng zhuā huò, àn jiàn zhèng zài jìn yí bù diào chá zhōng.
The police have arrested the prime culprit, and the case is under further investigation.
，主凶。
Fǎ tíng shàng, zhǔ xiōng duì zì jǐ de zuì xíng gòng rèn bú huì.
In court, the chief culprit confessed to his crimes without reservation.
，主凶。
Gēn jù zhèng jù, tā hěn kě néng jiù shì zhè qǐ móu shā àn de zhǔ xiōng.
Based on the evidence, he is most likely the main culprit in this murder case.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

主 means chief and 凶 means villain, so it names the chief villain in a case.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

凶 originally drew a hole with a lump of rock, mud, stone, or bamboo in it.