悔罪 (huǐ zuì) — to repent one's crime, to show penitence (for a wrongdoing)

Definition

Literary/religious term meaning 'to repent a sin or crime', often in court, moral, or spiritual contexts. Stronger and more formal than everyday 道歉 (an apology for a wrong).

verb
to repent one's crimeto show penitence (for a wrongdoing)

Examples

  • 悔罪。
    Tā zài fǎ tíng shàng gōng kāi huǐ zuì.
    He publicly showed penitence in court.
  • ，。
    Zuì fàn yǐ jīng huǐ le zuì, qǐng qiú cóng qīng chǔ fá.
    The criminal has repented his crime and requests a lighter punishment.
  • 悔罪。
    Tā wèi zì jǐ fàn xià de cuò wù shēn shēn huǐ zuì.
    He deeply repented the mistake he had made.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

悔huǐrepent
罪zuìcrime

悔 expresses repentance and 罪 names the wrongdoing being repented.

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi悔huǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

悔 pairs 忄, the heart part, with 每, which gives a sound hint.

Open 悔 →

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

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

Open 罪 →

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