同案犯 (tóng àn fàn) — accomplice, co-conspirator, partner in crime | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

同案犯 is an accomplice tried in the same case — emphasizes being prosecuted TOGETHER with the principal offender. Compare with 共犯 (broader term for any co-participant in a crime).

noun

accompliceco-conspiratorpartner in crime

Measure word · 个

Examples

同案犯。
Zhè ge tóng àn fàn shì tā de tóng shì.
This accomplice is his colleague.
同案犯。
Jǐng chá zhuā zhù le sān gè tóng àn fàn.
The police caught three accomplices.
同案犯。
Tā zuò wéi tóng àn fàn bèi pàn chǔ wǔ nián tú xíng.
He, as an accomplice, was sentenced to five years in prison.

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.

同案same case

同tóngsame案àncase

偏正Modifier + head

犯fànoffender

同案 means same case and 犯 means offender, so an accomplice in one case.

Characters in this word

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

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

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

木安案

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

安

安ān案àn

Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

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

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.

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