4 · 40 words

Rules and the law in Chinese

What is allowed and what is not, everyday offences, and what follows from them.

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From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The language of rules runs on a few characters: 法(fǎ), “law”, in 合法(héfǎ), 违法(wéifǎ) and 非法(fēifǎ); 规(guī), “rule”, in 规定(guīdìng), 违规(wéiguī) and 规矩(guīju). A 规定(guīdìng) is laid down by somebody in authority, while 规矩(guīju) are the unwritten rules of good behaviour. This page explains words; it is not legal advice.

The words

Verb (24)

违法(wéifǎ)to break the law; illegalVerb4

开车(kāichē)的(de)时候(shíhou)打(dǎ)电话(diànhuà)是(shì)违法(wéifǎ)的(de)。Making phone calls while driving is against the law.

违规(wéiguī)to break the rulesVerb4

比赛(bǐsài)中(zhōng)他(tā)违规(wéiguī)了(le)两(liǎng)次(cì)。He broke the rules twice during the match.

不准(bùzhǔn)not allowed; must notVerb4

考场(kǎochǎng)里(li)不准(bùzhǔn)带(dài)手机(shǒujī)。Phones are not allowed in the exam room.

不许(bùxǔ)must not; not allowed toVerb4

妈妈(māma)不许(bùxǔ)我(wǒ)晚上(wǎnshang)十(shí)点(diǎn)以后(yǐhòu)回家(huíjiā)。Mum doesn’t let me come home after ten at night.

Spoken, often from a parent or teacher; 不准(bùzhǔn) sounds more official.

登记(dēngjì)to register; to sign inVerb4

来(lái)大楼(dàlóu)的(de)客人(kèrén)要(yào)先(xiān)在(zài)门口(ménkǒu)登记(dēngjì)。Visitors to the building must first sign in at the entrance.

犯罪(fànzuì)to commit a crime; crimeVerb4

小说(xiǎoshuō)里(li)的(de)这(zhè)个(ge)人(rén)为了(wèile)钱(qián)去(qù)犯罪(fànzuì)。The man in the novel turns to crime for money.

犯(fàn)to commit (an offence, a mistake)Verb4

谁(shéi)都(dōu)会(huì)犯(fàn)错误(cuòwù)。Everyone makes mistakes.

偷(tōu)to stealVerb3

我(wǒ)的(de)自行车(zìxíngchē)昨天(zuótiān)被(bèi)人(rén)偷(tōu)了(le)。My bike was stolen yesterday.

骗(piàn)to cheat; to deceive; to swindleVerb4

他(tā)说(shuō)这(zhè)块(kuài)表(biǎo)是(shì)新(xīn)的(de)，其实(qíshí)是(shì)在(zài)骗(piàn)我(wǒ)。He said the watch was new, but he was actually cheating me.

撒谎(sāhuǎng)to lie; to tell a lieVerb4

孩子(háizi)撒谎(sāhuǎng)的(de)时候(shíhou)常常(chángcháng)不(bù)敢(gǎn)看(kàn)人(rén)。When children lie, they often can’t look you in the eye.

打架(dǎjià)to fight; to come to blowsVerb4

两(liǎng)个(ge)学生(xuésheng)在(zài)操场(cāochǎng)上(shàng)打架(dǎjià)，被(bèi)老师(lǎoshī)批评(pīpíng)了(le)。Two pupils got into a fight in the playground and were told off by the teacher.

Separable: 打(dǎ)了(le)一(yí)架(jià), had a fight.

报警(bàojǐng)to call the policeVerb4

发现(fāxiàn)家里(jiāli)的(de)门(mén)开(kāi)着(zhe)，她(tā)马上(mǎshàng)报警(bàojǐng)了(le)。Finding her front door open, she called the police at once.

报案(bào'àn)to report a crime (to the police)Verb4

手机(shǒujī)被(bèi)偷(tōu)以后(yǐhòu)，他(tā)去(qù)派出所(pàichūsuǒ)报案(bào'àn)了(le)。After his phone was stolen, he went to the police station to report it.

报警(bàojǐng) is calling for help; 报案(bào'àn) is formally reporting a crime.

抓(zhuā)to catch; to arrest; to grabVerb4

那(nà)个(ge)小偷(xiǎotōu)第二(dì'èr)天(tiān)就(jiù)被(bèi)抓住(zhuāzhù)了(le)。The thief was caught the very next day.

判(pàn)to sentence; to judgeVerb4

他(tā)因为(yīnwèi)偷(tōu)车(chē)被(bèi)判(pàn)了(le)一(yì)年(nián)。He was sentenced to a year for stealing a car.

Also simply “to judge, to decide”, as in 判断(pànduàn).

坐牢(zuòláo)to be in prisonVerb4

犯(fàn)了(le)罪(zuì)就(jiù)可能(kěnéng)要(yào)坐牢(zuòláo)。If you commit a crime, you may end up in prison.

判断(pànduàn)to judge; judgementVerb4

只(zhǐ)看(kàn)外表(wàibiǎo)，很(hěn)难(nán)判断(pànduàn)一(yí)个(ge)人(rén)的(de)性格(xìnggé)。It is hard to judge someone’s character from their appearance alone.

警告(jǐnggào)to warn; warningVerb4

医生(yīshēng)警告(jǐnggào)他(tā)不要(búyào)再(zài)抽烟(chōuyān)了(le)。The doctor warned him not to smoke any more.

罚(fá)to punish; to fineVerb4

他(tā)开车(kāichē)太(tài)快(kuài)，被(bèi)罚(fá)了(le)两(liǎng)百(bǎi)块(kuài)。He was driving too fast and was fined two hundred yuan.

惩罚(chéngfá)to punish; punishmentVerb4

老师(lǎoshī)没有(méiyǒu)惩罚(chéngfá)他(tā)，只是(zhǐshì)跟(gēn)他(tā)聊(liáo)了(le)一会儿(yíhuìr)。The teacher didn’t punish him; she just had a talk with him.

赔(péi)to compensate; to pay for (damage)Verb4

我(wǒ)不(bù)小心(xiǎoxīn)弄坏(nònghuài)了(le)朋友(péngyou)的(de)相机(xiàngjī)，只好(zhǐhǎo)赔(péi)他(tā)一(yí)个(ge)新(xīn)的(de)。I accidentally broke my friend’s camera, so I had to buy him a new one.

认错(rèncuò)to admit a mistakeVerb4

他(tā)知道(zhīdao)自己(zìjǐ)错(cuò)了(le)，主动(zhǔdòng)认错(rèncuò)了(le)。He knew he was in the wrong and owned up of his own accord.

Also “to mistake one person for another”: 认错(rèncuò)人(rén).

承担(chéngdān)to bear; to take on (responsibility, costs)Verb4

这(zhè)次(cì)的(de)费用(fèiyòng)由(yóu)公司(gōngsī)承担(chéngdān)。The company will bear the costs this time.

守法(shǒufǎ)to abide by the law; law-abidingVerb4

他(tā)一直(yìzhí)是(shì)一(yí)个(ge)守法(shǒufǎ)的(de)公民(gōngmín)。He has always been a law-abiding citizen.

Noun (14)

法律(fǎlǜ)lawNoun4

每(měi)个(ge)人(rén)都(dōu)应该(yīnggāi)了解(liǎojiě)一些(yìxiē)基本(jīběn)的(de)法律(fǎlǜ)知识(zhīshi)。Everyone should know a little basic law.

规定(guīdìng)regulation; rule; to stipulateNoun4

按(àn)规定(guīdìng)，图书馆(túshūguǎn)的(de)书(shū)最(zuì)多(duō)可以(kěyǐ)借(jiè)一(yí)个(ge)月(yuè)。Under the rules, library books can be borrowed for a month at most.

规矩(guīju)rules of behaviour; mannersNoun4

在(zài)别人(biérén)家(jiā)吃(chī)饭(fàn)要(yào)懂(dǒng)规矩(guīju)。When you eat at someone else’s home, you need to mind your manners.

许可(xǔkě)permission; permit; to permitNoun4

没有(méiyǒu)许可(xǔkě)，不(bù)能(néng)在(zài)这里(zhèlǐ)拍照(pāizhào)。You may not take photos here without permission.

坏人(huàirén)bad person; villainNoun3

小时候(xiǎoshíhou)看(kàn)电影(diànyǐng)，我(wǒ)总是(zǒngshì)问(wèn)谁(shéi)是(shì)好人(hǎorén)，谁(shéi)是(shì)坏人(huàirén)。As a child watching films, I always asked who the goodies and the baddies were.

小偷(xiǎotōu)thief; pickpocketNoun3

车(chē)上(shàng)人(rén)多(duō)，小心(xiǎoxīn)小偷(xiǎotōu)。The bus is crowded — watch out for pickpockets.

骗子(piànzi)swindler; con artistNoun4

那(nà)个(ge)打(dǎ)电话(diànhuà)说(shuō)你(nǐ)中奖(zhòngjiǎng)的(de)人(rén)是(shì)骗子(piànzi)。The person who phoned to say you’d won a prize is a con artist.

暴力(bàolì)violenceNoun4

这(zhè)部(bù)电影(diànyǐng)暴力(bàolì)镜头(jìngtóu)太(tài)多(duō)，不(bú)适合(shìhé)孩子(háizi)看(kàn)。This film has too many violent scenes for children.

摄像头(shèxiàngtóu)camera (security or web)Noun4

门口(ménkǒu)的(de)摄像头(shèxiàngtóu)拍到(pāidào)了(le)那(nà)个(ge)人(rén)。The camera at the entrance caught that person on film.

证据(zhèngjù)evidence; proofNoun4

你(nǐ)说(shuō)他(tā)拿(ná)了(le)你(nǐ)的(de)钱(qián)，有(yǒu)证据(zhèngjù)吗(ma)？You say he took your money — do you have any proof?

法院(fǎyuàn)court (of law)Noun4

两(liǎng)家(jiā)公司(gōngsī)最后(zuìhòu)只好(zhǐhǎo)去(qù)法院(fǎyuàn)解决(jiějué)问题(wèntí)。In the end the two companies had to settle the matter in court.

官司(guānsi)lawsuit; legal caseNoun4

为了(wèile)这(zhè)块(kuài)地(dì)，两(liǎng)家(jiā)人(rén)打(dǎ)了(le)三(sān)年(nián)官司(guānsi)。The two families fought a three-year lawsuit over this plot of land.

打(dǎ)官司(guānsi): to go to court against somebody.

责任(zérèn)responsibilityNoun4

照顾(zhàogù)好(hǎo)宠物(chǒngwù)是(shì)主人(zhǔrén)的(de)责任(zérèn)。Looking after a pet properly is the owner’s responsibility.

纪律(jìlǜ)disciplineNoun4

这(zhè)个(ge)班(bān)的(de)纪律(jìlǜ)很(hěn)好(hǎo)，上课(shàngkè)很(hěn)安静(ānjìng)。This class is well disciplined and quiet during lessons.

Adjective (2)

合法(héfǎ)legal; lawfulAdjective4

在(zài)这(zhè)个(ge)国家(guójiā)，满(mǎn)十八(shíbā)岁(suì)开车(kāichē)才(cái)合法(héfǎ)。In this country, driving is only legal once you are eighteen.

非法(fēifǎ)illegal; unlawfulAdjective4

在(zài)这(zhè)条(tiáo)河(hé)里(li)钓鱼(diàoyú)是(shì)非法(fēifǎ)的(de)。Fishing in this river is illegal.

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