罪魁祸首

罪魁禍首

zuìkuí-huòshǒu

idiom HSK 7-9 #13,316

Meanings

1 chief culprit
2 main offender
3 the one most to blame

Characters

disaster; misfortune

head; leader; first

Examples

他是这次事故的罪魁祸首。

Tā shì zhècì shìgù de zuìkuíhuòshǒu.

He is the chief culprit behind this accident.

过度消费是环境问题的罪魁祸首。

Guòdù xiāofèi shì huánjìng wèntí de zuìkuíhuòshǒu.

Excessive consumption is the main culprit of environmental problems.

Tips

memory

罪魁 (crime chief) + 祸首 (disaster leader) = the ringleader of both crime and disaster, i.e. the one most responsible.

Stroke Order

罪 zuì

魁 kuí

祸 huò

首 shǒu