Meaning
犯 sits at the heart of Japanese legal vocabulary. As a verb (おかす), it means to commit a crime, to violate, or to transgress—whether breaking a law, infringing on someone's rights, or crossing a moral line. In noun compounds, 犯 names either the offense itself or the person who carried it out.
The character breaks into two parts: 犭 (けものへん), the beast radical derived from 犬 (dog), sits on the left; 巳, historically a coiled serpent, fills the right. Together they conjure a primal, animal impulse surging past the boundaries of civilization—the raw force behind any transgression.
Grade 5 in elementary school, just 5 strokes—犯 looks deceptively simple. Open any Japanese newspaper's crime section or skim a police report and it appears within seconds. For N2 learners, this kanji is inescapable.
In Vietnamese, it maps to the Hán-Việt reading PHẠM, as in phạm tội (to commit a crime) or phạm nhân (criminal)—a direct etymological link that makes the kanji easier to retain.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
ハン (han) is the on'yomi, found almost exclusively in Sino-Japanese compounds (熟語). It dominates formal contexts—courtrooms, news broadcasts, legal documents.
- 犯罪 (hanzai) — crime, criminal offense. Scan any crime headline in Japanese and 犯罪 will be there.
- 犯人 (hannin) — criminal, offender. Constant in detective fiction, news reports, and police dramas.
- 犯行 (hankou) — criminal act, commission of a crime. Names the act itself, not the person.
- 防犯 (bouhan) — crime prevention. Shows up in 防犯カメラ (security camera) and 防犯グッズ (crime-prevention goods).
- 共犯 (kyouhan) — complicity, being an accomplice. Legal term when two or more people commit an offense together.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
おか(す) (okasu) is the kun'yomi—a transitive verb used in native Japanese constructions. 犯す always takes a direct object and can mean to commit a crime, to violate a rule, or to transgress a boundary.
- 罪を犯す (tsumi wo okasu) — to commit a sin or crime. The most common verbal use.
- 法律を犯す (houritsu wo okasu) — to violate the law.
- 過ちを犯す (ayamachi wo okasu) — to commit a mistake or transgression. Softer nuance than the previous two.
Common Words & Compounds
犯 compounds cluster around three ideas: the act itself, the people involved, and efforts to stop it.
Crime and Offenses
- 犯罪 (hanzai) — crime, criminal offense
- 犯人 (hannin) — criminal, offender
- 犯行 (hankou) — criminal act, the act of committing a crime
- 犯意 (han'i) — criminal intent, mens rea
- 犯法 (hanpou) — violation of the law
Types of Offenders
- 主犯 (shuhan) — principal offender, ringleader
- 共犯 (kyouhan) — accomplice, co-conspirator
- 初犯 (shohan) — first offense, first-time offender
- 再犯 (saihan) — repeat offense, recidivism
- 現行犯 (genkouhan) — caught in the act, flagrante delicto
Crime Prevention and Related
- 防犯 (bouhan) — crime prevention
- 防犯カメラ (bouhan kamera) — security camera, CCTV
- 性犯罪 (sei hanzai) — sex crime, sexual offense
- 犯罪者 (hanzaisha) — criminal (as a person)
Example Sentences
彼は重大な犯罪を犯した。
Kare wa juudai na hanzai wo okashita.
He committed a serious crime.
警察はついに犯人を逮捕した。
Keisatsu wa tsui ni hannin wo taiho shita.
The police finally arrested the criminal.
犯行の動機はまだ不明だ。
Hankou no douki wa mada fumei da.
The motive for the crime is still unknown.
この地区では防犯カメラが増えている。
Kono chiku de wa bouhan kamera ga fuete iru.
Security cameras are increasing in this area.
彼女は共犯として疑われている。
Kanojo wa kyouhan to shite utagawarete iru.
She is being suspected as an accomplice.
現行犯で逮捕された男は黙秘権を行使した。
Genkouhan de taiho sareta otoko wa mokuhiken wo koushi shita.
The man arrested in the act exercised his right to remain silent.
過ちを犯したことを深く反省している。
Ayamachi wo okashita koto wo fukaku hansei shite iru.
I am deeply reflecting on the mistake I made.
再犯を防ぐための対策が必要だ。
Saihan wo fusegu tame no taisaku ga hitsuyou da.
Measures to prevent repeat offenses are necessary.
犯罪率が高い地域では住民が不安を感じている。
Hanzairitsu ga takai chiiki de wa juumin ga fuan wo kanjite iru.
Residents in high-crime areas feel anxious.
主犯は懲役十年の刑を言い渡された。
Shuhan wa choueki juunen no kei wo iiwatasareta.
The principal offender was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Memory Tip
Picture a wild beast (犭, the animal radical on the left) coiled tight like a snake (巳, on the right), ready to strike—pure instinct, zero regard for rules. That's 犯. When the beast breaks through civilization's boundary, a crime happens. Spot 犭 paired with 巳 anywhere and that image snaps back: violate, transgress, commit. Vietnamese speakers: lock it in with PHẠM (phạm tội).