Guīzhāng zhìdù bǎi zài nàlǐ, tā què míngzhī-gùfàn.
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).
