过失

過失

guòshī

noun HSK 7 #6,941

Meanings

1 fault
2 negligence
3 error
4 unintentional mistake

Characters

to exceed; transgression

to lose; to err; to miss

A transgression through error = negligence.

Examples

这是一个不可原谅的过失。

Zhè shì yī gè bù kě yuánliàng de guòshī.

This is an unforgivable error.

他因过失被公司处分了。

Tā yīn guòshī bèi gōngsī chǔfèn le.

He was disciplined by the company for negligence.

过失杀人和故意杀人的性质不同。

Guòshī shārén hé gùyì shārén de xìngzhì bùtóng.

Manslaughter (negligent killing) and intentional killing are different in nature.

Tips

usage

More formal than 过错. In legal contexts, 过失 specifically means negligence (unintentional): 过失杀人 = manslaughter, 过失犯罪 = crime of negligence. Distinguished from 故意 (intentional).

Stroke Order

过 guò

失 shī