明知故犯
明知故犯 (míng zhī gù fàn) literally means “clearly know yet deliberately violate” and expresses “knowingly commit a violation”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: ming zhi gu fan, ming zhi gu fan,明知故犯 meaning, 明知故犯 in english
Knowingly commit a violation
Pronunciation: míng zhī gù fàn
Literal meaning: Clearly know yet deliberately violate
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes clearly knowing (明知) something is wrong yet deliberately (故) doing it anyway (犯). The phrase emphasizes the moral culpability that comes from conscious choice rather than ignorance. It appears in legal and ethical texts from the Tang Dynasty distinguishing intentional violations from innocent mistakes. The aggravating factor of awareness makes such transgressions more serious than errors from ignorance. Modern usage describes willful disregard of rules, advice, or moral standards when the person clearly knows better.
Examples
English: "He knowingly broke the rules despite understanding the consequences."
Chinese: 尽管知道后果，他还是明知故犯。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 明知故犯 mean in English?
明知故犯 (míng zhī gù fàn) literally translates to “Clearly know yet deliberately violate” and is used to express “Knowingly commit a violation”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 明知故犯 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving knowingly commit a violation.
What is the pinyin for 明知故犯?
The pinyin pronunciation for 明知故犯 is “míng zhī gù fàn”.