非礼 (fēi lǐ) — (formal) to sexually assault or molest (someone); (literary) to be impolite, to violate etiquette
Definition
In classical Chinese (e.g. Confucian texts) 非礼 means 'improper, against propriety' — what's not in line with 礼 (ritual, etiquette). Its modern legal meaning is 'to sexually assault'.
verb
(formal) to sexually assault or molest (someone)(literary) to be impoliteto violate etiquette
Examples
- 非礼。Tā yīn wèi zài gōng gòng qì chē shàng fēi lǐ nǚ xìng bèi jǐng chá dài bǔ le.He was arrested by the police for sexually assaulting a woman on the bus.
- ：“非礼，非礼，非礼，非礼。”Kǒng zǐ shuō: "fēi lǐ wù shì, fēi lǐ wù tīng, fēi lǐ wù yán, fēi lǐ wù dòng."Confucius said: 'Do not look at what is improper; do not listen to what is improper; do not speak what is improper; do not do what is improper.'
- 非礼。Fǎ guān rèn dìng bèi gào de fēi lǐ xíng wéi gòu chéng fàn zuì.The judge ruled that the defendant's indecent assault constituted a crime.
Appears in
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