在逃犯 (zài táo fàn) — fugitive; escaped criminal

Definition

noun

fugitiveescaped criminal

Measure word · 个

在逃犯。
Jǐng fāng zhèng zài tōng jī yì míng zài táo fàn.
The police are actively hunting for a fugitive.
在逃犯。
Nà ge zài táo fàn duǒ cáng le sān nián cái bèi zhuā zhù.
That escaped criminal hid for three years before being caught.
在逃犯。
zài táo fàn De zhào piàn yǐ jīng fā bù dào wǎng shàng.
The fugitive's photo has been posted online.

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.

在逃at large

偏正Modifier + head

犯fàncriminal

在逃 means still at large, and 犯 denotes a criminal; together they name a person who has fled and is still wanted.

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.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

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

辶兆逃

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

兆

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逃 pairs 辶 (walk) with 兆, which gives the pronunciation.

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.