知法犯法 (zhī fǎ fàn fǎ) — to knowingly violate the law; to break the law despite being aware of it
Definition
A formal chengyu meaning 'know the law yet break it' — committing a crime while fully aware it's illegal, which carries extra moral and legal weight. Used in legal, journalistic, and formal criticism contexts.
idiom
to knowingly violate the lawto break the law despite being aware of it
Examples
- 知法犯法，。Shēn wéi lǜ shī què zhī fǎ fàn fǎ, zhēn shì ràng rén shī wàng.As a lawyer, knowingly violating the law is truly disappointing.
- 知法犯法。Zhè zhǒng zhī fǎ fàn fǎ de xíng wéi bì xū shòu dào yán lì chéng fá.This kind of behavior — deliberately breaking the law — must be severely punished.
- 知法犯法，。Jǐng chá rú guǒ zhī fǎ fàn fǎ, jiù gèng yīng gāi bèi zhuī zé.If police officers knowingly violate the law, they should be held even more accountable.
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