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犯规 (fàn guī) — to break the rules; (in sports) to commit a foul

Definition

犯规 (fànguī) means to break the rules of a game, sport, or competition — typically a minor infraction judged on the spot. Stronger than 违规 (general rule-breaking) but lighter than 违法 (breaking the law).

verb
to break the rules(in sports) to commit a foul

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zài zhè chǎng bǐ sài zhōng fàn le yí cì guī.
    He committed a foul once in this match.
  • ，犯规。
    Gōng sī guī dìng yuán gōng bù zhǔn zuò bì, fǒu zé jiù shì fàn guī.
    The company stipulates that employees must not cheat; otherwise it is a violation of the rules.
  • 犯规。
    Cái pàn chuī shào biǎo shì tā fàn guī le.
    The referee blew the whistle indicating he committed a foul.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

犯fànviolate
规guīrule

犯, to violate, and 规, rule, combine to mean breaking a rule or committing a foul.

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
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢎘
𢎘𢎘犯fàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

犯 combines 犬 and 𢎘: 犬 gives the meaning, and 𢎘 gives the sound.

Open 犯 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 規; 规 is its simplified writing.

  • 夫夫fūhusband
  • 見見jiànsee

The simplified 规 is a shorthand; the traditional form 規 shows a cross-shaped compass in its early drawing, and its later form uses 夫 and 見.

Open 规 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Sports & Athletics

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