侵权

• Pinyin: qīn quán
• Hanzi breakdown: 侵 = 亻+ 帚 + 又 (to encroach gradually); 权 = 木 + 又 (tree + hand — original meaning: a steelyard weight; extended to authority and rights)

Meaning

To infringe upon rights; to commit a tortious act or violate another party's legally protected rights, especially intellectual property rights.

A standard legal term widely used in civil law, intellectual property law, and internet law contexts. Covers copyright infringement (侵犯版权), trademark infringement (侵犯商标权), and privacy violations (侵犯隐私权). Very common in commercial disputes, digital content regulation, and consumer rights discussions. Appears frequently in legal notices and news reports.

Examples

1. 该软件公司被指控侵权，使用了他方受专利保护的算法而未支付任何许可费用。 The software company is accused of infringement for using an algorithm protected by someone else’s patent without paying any licensing fees.
2. 网络上大量传播他人摄影作品却不注明出处，已构成明显的版权侵权行为。 Widely sharing someone else’s photographs online without crediting the source constitutes clear copyright infringement.
3. 品牌方向法院申请禁令，要求立即停止侵权行为，并追偿经济损失。 The brand owner applied to the court for an injunction, demanding that the infringement stop immediately and seeking compensation for economic losses.

Usage Guide

Context: law, intellectual property, business

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 原告主张，被告在未经许可的情况下将其原创美术作品用于商业推广活动，侵权事实清晰，要求法院判令被告赔偿经济损失并公开道歉。(The plaintiff claimed that the defendant had used their original artwork in commercial promotional activities without permission; the infringement was clear, and they requested the court to order the defendant to compensate for economic losses and issue a public apology.)
• 平台方须承担连带责任，因其明知用户持续上传侵权内容却未采取有效措施予以删除，相关法律已就此情形作出明确规定。(The platform bears joint liability, as it was aware that users continued to upload infringing content yet failed to take effective measures to remove it — the relevant laws make clear provisions for such circumstances.)

Don't Say

• 你侵权了我的感情 — 侵权 is a legal term for rights infringement; for emotional harm use 伤害了我的感情 (hurt my feelings) or 让我心里很不好受 (made me feel very bad inside)

Origin & History

侵 (to encroach) + 权 (rights/authority) — to encroach upon another's legal rights

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal