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违禁 (wéi jìn) — to violate a ban or prohibition

Definition

A formal verb meaning to break a ban or prohibition, typically in legal or official contexts (e.g. customs, smuggling). Often appears in fixed phrases like 违禁品 (contraband).

verb
to violate a ban or prohibition

Examples

  • 违禁。
    Rèn hé rén dōu bù kě yǐ wéi jìn.
    No one is allowed to violate the ban.
  • ，。
    Tā céng jīng wéi guò yí cì jìn, shòu dào le chǔ fá.
    He once violated a ban and was punished.
  • 违禁，。
    Tā wéi jìn rù jìng, bèi hǎi guān chá huò.
    He entered the country in violation of a ban and was caught by customs.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

违wéiviolate
禁jìnban

违 means to break, and 禁 is a ban, so together they mean to violate a prohibition.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 違; 违 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi違wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 違 pairs 辶, which shows walking, with 韋 to give the sound. The simplified 违 is a later shorthand.

Open 违 →

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
示示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
林
林lín禁jìn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

禁 has 林 above 示, an altar. The 林 part gives the sound, and the altar part connects the character to taboo or restricted matters.

Open 禁 →
Appears in
Law & Justice

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