未经

• Pinyin: wèi jīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 未 (not yet, without); 经 = 纟+ 圣 (pass through, undergo a process)

Meaning

Without having gone through; without (authorization, review, or a required process). A formal phrase indicating that a necessary procedure has been bypassed or omitted.

Appears frequently in legal, contractual, and official contexts. Typically followed by a noun (未经许可, without permission) or verb phrase (未经核实, unverified). Always implies that the omitted step was required.

Examples

1. 未经授权，任何人不得复制本书内容。 Without authorization, no one may reproduce the contents of this book.
2. 这项数据未经核实，不能直接引用。 This data has not been verified and cannot be cited directly.
3. 未经许可擅自进入禁区，将依法追究法律责任。 Entering a restricted area without permission will result in legal liability in accordance with the law.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, written, official

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 未经审查的内容一律不得对外发布。(Content that has not been reviewed may not be released to the public under any circumstances.)
• 未经本人书面同意，不得将其个人信息提供给第三方。(Personal information may not be provided to third parties without the individual's written consent.)

Don't Say

• 未经我说他就走了 — use 没等我说完 or 没有经过我同意; 未经 is a formal written phrase and sounds stilted in casual speech

Origin & History

未 (not yet, without) + 经 (go through, pass through a process)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal