Japanese with Manga

Crimes and offenders with 犯

primarily means “to violate rules or laws” or “a person who has committed a crime”.

Etymology

This kanji is a phono-semantic compound comprised of 犭 / 犬 (dog) as the semantic component and 𢎘, later written in the changed form 㔾, as the phonetic component providing the reading ハン. It originally meant a dog breaking through a fence, and the meaning extends to describing conduct that goes beyond one’s proper bounds.

Criminal Acts

犯罪 (Crime)

犯行(はんこう) refers to the act of committing an offense or wrongdoing that violates the law or morality.

It combines 犯 (offense) with 行 (act) to show a criminal act.

Manga panel from GALS! showing example of Crimes and offenders with 犯.
GALS! » Volume 1 » Page 31

A classmate shows off her new satchel from Meisho Daichi High School. Ran wants one for herself, so she heads down to Shibuya in search of a Meisho Daichi student who’ll give her one. She accidentally steals one, which she later ruminates on in her room. As she talks to herself about how her pride cannot abide stealing, her police officer parents burst into her room, asking what was stolen and who the suspect is.

(らん):
(なん)でもないって!! びっくりさせんなよ もーーーー!」
“It's nothing!! Don't scare me like that! Seriously!!”
泰三(たいぞう):
「そ そうか スマン スマン…」
“Oh... okay. Sorry, sorry...”
清香(きよか):
犯罪(はんざい)のニオイがするとつい…ね」
“When I smell a crime, I just can't help myself...”
Literal: “When there is a smell of crime, I just instinctively...”
View Full Example

犯行 (Criminal act)

犯行(はんこう) refers to the act of committing an offense or wrongdoing that violates the law or morality.

It combines 犯 (offense) with 行 (act) to show a criminal act.

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Crimes and offenders with 犯.
名探偵コナン » Volume 24 » Page 83

Following a murder made to look like an accidental death, Conan reviews the whereabouts of the four suspects at the time.

コナン:
犯行(はんこう)可能(かのう)()にあの四人(よにん)(なか)でアリバイが成立(せいりつ)しているのは…」
“Among those four, the one with an established alibi during the time the crime could have been committed is...”
Literal: “During the time when the crime was possible, among those four, the one whose alibi is established is...”
「あの(ひと)だた一人(ひとり)…」
“...that person alone...”
View Full Example

Legal Roles

共犯 (Accomplice)

共犯(きょうはん) refers to two or more people who cooperate to commit a crime, or to those individuals involved in such a crime.

It combines 共 (together) with 犯 (offense) to show committing a crime together.

Manga panel from 俺物語!! showing example of Crimes and offenders with 犯.
俺物語!! » Volume 14 » Page 13

Yacchin eats little and dislikes many foods, so his friend Takeo helps by eating the parts of his lunch he doesn’t like. A teacher catches sight of this and yells at them not to give or take food from one another. When the coast is clear, Takeo continues, only to be sighted and punished by the teacher. Yacchin goes up to the teacher afterward.

やっちん:
「あの… さっきは猛男(たけお)くんひとりが(わる)いみたいになったんですけどオレも共犯(きょうはん)です…」
“Um... It seemed like Takeo was the only one at fault just now, but I was in on it too...”
Literal: “Um... Just now it ended up looking like Takeo alone was at fault, but I am also his accomplice...”
View Full Example

Offenders

犯人 (Criminal)

犯人(はんにん) is someone who has committed a crime or a wrongdoing in violation of the law, morality, or rules.

It combines 犯 (offense) with (person) to show the person who committed the crime.

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Crimes and offenders with 犯.
名探偵コナン » Volume 11 » Page 10

In a snow-covered mountain villa, a room full of suspects listen as Detective Mouri explains how their host was murdered. The accused notes she has a receipt showing she was at the convenience store at the bottom of the mountain when the murder took place.

中原(なかはら):
「それにまだ金澤(かなざわ)先生(せんせい)のアリバイもあやふやよ!!」
“Moreover, Mr. Kanazawa's alibi is also vague!”
(わたし)だけを犯人(はんにん)(あつか)いしないでよ!!」
“Don't treat only me as the suspect!”
Literal: “Don't treat only me as the criminal!”
View Full Example