明知故犯

míngzhīgùfàn

idiom #46,500

Meanings

1 to knowingly violate the rules
2 to do something wrong on purpose
3 deliberate transgression

Characters

intentionally; on purpose

to violate; to offend

Examples

明知故犯，罪加一等。

Míngzhīgùfàn, zuì jiā yī děng.

To break the rules knowingly makes the offense worse.

你明知故犯，就别怪我不客气了。

Nǐ míngzhīgùfàn, jiù bié guài wǒ bù kèqì le.

You did it knowing full well — don't blame me for not being polite now.

规章制度摆在那里，他却明知故犯。

Guīzhāng zhìdù bǎi zài nàlǐ, tā què míngzhīgùfàn.

The rules were right there, yet he broke them on purpose.

Tips

history

From the Song Chan Buddhist record 《五灯会元》: a monk asked why sentient beings with Buddha-nature fall into animal bodies, and the master answered "知而故犯" — "they know, and transgress anyway." The phrase shifted from doctrine into everyday moral language.

register

Strongly accusatory. Used in legal, disciplinary, and moral contexts. Set phrase: 明知故犯，罪加一等 (knowing violation aggravates the offense).

Stroke Order

明 míng

知 zhī

故 gù

犯 fàn