定罪 (dìng zuì) — (v.o.) to convict (someone of a crime), to decl… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal/legal verb meaning 'to convict' — used for a court officially declaring a defendant guilty, heavier than the everyday colloquial sense of 'finding someone at fault'.

verb

(v.o.) to convict (someone of a crime)to declare guilty

Examples

定罪。
Fǎ yuàn zuì zhōng duì bèi gào rén dìng zuì le.
The court finally convicted the defendant.
。
Fǎ guān dìng le tā de zuì.
The judge convicted him (lit. determined his guilt).
，定罪。
Méi yǒu què záo zhèng jù, jiù bù néng qīng yì dìng zuì.
Without solid evidence, you cannot convict easily.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

定dìngfix/declare

定 gives fixing or declaring, and 罪 names crime, together meaning to declare someone guilty.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

正zhèng定dìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

罒非罪

罒网wǎngnet
非非fēimistake

罪 puts 罒 (a net, written fully as 网) over 非 (mistake).

Appears in

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