涉嫌

• Pinyin: shè xián
• Hanzi breakdown: 涉 = 氵+ 步 (to wade, to be involved); 嫌 = 女 + 兼 (suspicion, to dislike)

Meaning

To be suspected of; to be implicated in; allegedly to have committed. Used in legal and investigative contexts.

A legal and journalistic term indicating that a person or entity is under suspicion of committing a crime or violation, but has not yet been proven guilty. Frequently used in news reports and official documents.

Examples

1. 该公司涉嫌违规排放污染物，已被环保部门立案调查。 The company is suspected of illegally discharging pollutants and has been placed under investigation by the environmental authorities.
2. 三名官员涉嫌受贿，目前正接受纪检部门的审查。 Three officials are suspected of taking bribes and are currently under review by the discipline inspection authorities.
3. 警方逮捕了一名涉嫌入室盗窃的男子。 Police arrested a man suspected of breaking into homes to steal.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, journalism, official

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 该嫌疑人涉嫌诈骗多名老年受害者，案情复杂。(The suspect is alleged to have defrauded multiple elderly victims in a complex case.)
• 涉嫌洗钱的账户已被司法机关冻结。(The accounts alleged to be involved in money laundering have been frozen by judicial authorities.)

Don't Say

• 他涉嫌坏人 — 涉嫌 must be followed by a specific offence or action, not a descriptive label

Origin & History

涉 (to be involved in, to wade into) + 嫌 (suspicion)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal