犯す

• Reading: おかす
• Romaji: okasu
• Kanji breakdown: 犯 (han/oka) — crime, offence, commit
• Pronunciation: /o.ka.sɯ/

Meaning

To commit (a crime); to perpetrate. Also means to make (a mistake) or to violate (a rule).

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb primarily used for committing crimes or making errors. Different from the homophone 冒す (to brave, to risk) and 侵す (to invade, to violate). 犯す specifically relates to criminal acts and wrongdoing. Common collocations include 罪を犯す (commit a crime), 過ちを犯す (make a mistake), and 法を犯す (break the law).

Examples

1. 彼は若い頃に大きな過ちを犯した。 He committed a serious mistake when he was young.
2. 同じミスを二度と犯さないようにしたい。 I want to make sure I never make the same mistake again.
3. 法を犯してまでお金を稼ぐ必要はない。 There's no need to break the law just to earn money.

Usage Guide

Context: law, ethics, self-reflection

Tone: serious

Origin & History

The kanji 犯 combines 犭 (animal) and 㔾 (an enclosure being breached), originally depicting an animal breaking through a barrier — a vivid metaphor for transgressing boundaries or rules.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal