凶手

• Pinyin: xiōng shǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 凶 = 凵 (pit) + 乂 (cross), meaning violent; 手 = pictograph of a hand

Meaning

Murderer; killer; culprit. The person who committed a violent crime, especially murder.

Specifically refers to someone who has killed another person. In legal contexts, may be used before conviction with qualifiers like 嫌疑 (suspected). Also used metaphorically for the cause of disasters or failures. Related: 杀手 (assassin), 罪犯 (criminal), 作案者 (perpetrator).

Examples

1. 警方经过三天的追查，终于抓到了凶手。 After three days of investigation, the police finally caught the murderer.
2. 空气污染是导致呼吸道疾病的主要凶手。 Air pollution is the main culprit behind respiratory diseases.
3. 直到电影结尾，观众才知道谁是真正的凶手。 It wasn't until the end of the movie that the audience learned who the real killer was.

Usage Guide

Context: crime, news, legal, detective fiction

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 凶手还没抓到。(The murderer hasn't been caught yet.)
• 谁是凶手？(Who is the killer?)

Don't Say

• 他是打破窗户的凶手 — 小事故的责任人不用'凶手'，应说'是他打破了窗户'，凶手专指严重暴力犯罪者

Origin & History

Compound of 凶 (violent, fierce) + 手 (hand, person who does something). Literally 'violent hand,' meaning perpetrator of violence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal