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逍遥法外 (xiāo yáo fǎ wài) — to remain at large (after committing a crime); to get away with a crime; to be beyond the reach of the law

Definition

Idiom: literally 'at ease beyond the law' — used for a criminal who has escaped justice and is still free. Used in news and legal contexts about wanted suspects or unpunished offenders.

idiom
to remain at large (after committing a crime)to get away with a crimeto be beyond the reach of the law

Examples

  • 逍遥法外。
    Nà ge shā rén fàn zhì jīn réng rán xiāo yáo fǎ wài.
    That murderer is still at large.
  • ，逍遥法外。
    Rú guǒ méi yǒu què záo zhèng jù, zuì fàn jiù kě néng xiāo yáo fǎ wài.
    Without solid evidence, the criminal may escape punishment.
  • 逍遥法外。
    Jǐng fāng yì zhí zài zhuī bǔ xiāo yáo fǎ wài de xián yí rén.
    The police have been pursuing the suspect who remains free.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 遥 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →
Appears in
Crime & PoliceIdioms & Set Phrases

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