情有可原

qíngyǒu-kěyuán

idiom #26,185

Meanings

1 pardonable
2 understandable given the circumstances
3 excusable

Characters

feeling; emotion; situation

to have; there is

can; permissible

to forgive; to pardon; original

Examples

HSK 6

他是出于保护家人才这么做的，情有可原。

Tā shì chūyú bǎohù jiārén cái zhème zuò de, qíngyǒu-kěyuán.

He did it to protect his family, which is understandable.

HSK 6

初学者犯这种错误情有可原。

Chūxuézhě fàn zhèzhǒng cuòwù qíngyǒu-kěyuán.

It is excusable for beginners to make this kind of mistake.

Tips

usage

情有可原 acknowledges that while an act may be wrong, the emotional or situational reasons behind it make it understandable. It implies sympathy, not full exoneration.

Stroke Order

情 qíng

有 yǒu

可 kě

原 yuán