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被害人 (bèi hài rén) — victim (especially in legal context)

Definition

Formal legal term for the 'victim' of a crime — the injured party. Use instead of everyday 受害者 when the context is criminal law, court, or police.

noun
victim (especially in legal context)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 被害人。
    bèi hài rén Yǒu quán yāo qiú péi cháng.
    The victim has the right to demand compensation.
  • 被害人。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá bèi hài rén de shēn fèn.
    The police are investigating the victim's identity.
  • ，被害人。
    Zài zhè qǐ àn jiàn zhōng, bèi hài rén shì wéi yī de zhèng rén.
    In this case, the victim is the only witness.

Origin

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.

被害harmed
被bèiby害hàiharm
偏正Modifier + head
人rénperson

被害人 is a 人 who suffers 害, with 被 showing it is done to them.

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
衣衣yīclothing
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí被bèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

被 pairs 衣 (clothing) with 皮, which gives the sound.

Open 被 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丯
丯jiè害hài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

害 was borrowed purely for its sound. Its old picture, possibly a house rafter, is unrelated to harm.

Open 害 →

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →
Appears in
Law & Justice5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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