犯人

• Reading: はんにん
• Romaji: hannin
• Kanji breakdown: 犯 (han) — to commit, to violate; 人 (nin) — person
• Pronunciation: /haɴ.niɴ/

Meaning

Criminal; culprit; offender. The person who committed a crime.

A noun referring to the person who carried out a criminal act. Frequently used in news reports and detective fiction. In mystery stories, 犯人は誰だ (who is the culprit?) is a classic phrase. The word is commonly used before the suspect is formally charged.

Examples

1. 犯人はまだ見つかっていない。 The culprit hasn't been found yet.
2. 警察が犯人を追いかけている。 The police are chasing the suspect.
3. ドラマの犯人が最後にわかった。 The culprit in the drama was revealed at the end.

Usage Guide

Context: law, news, entertainment

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Composed of 犯 (to commit a crime, to violate) and 人 (person). Together they simply mean a person who commits a crime.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal