刑事

けいじ

criminal case, (police) detective

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Understanding 刑事 (xíng shì)

The term 刑事 primarily relates to criminal matters or penal law. It is commonly used to describe police officers who investigate crimes (刑事警察) or legal responsibilities related to criminal acts (刑事责任).

Usage and Context

刑事 often appears in legal and law enforcement contexts. For example, 刑事警察 refers to detectives or criminal police, while 刑事案件 means a criminal case. It is a formal term and typically used in official or legal language rather than casual conversation.

Common Collocations

  • 刑事案件 (criminal case): used when discussing specific crimes under investigation or trial.
  • 刑事责任 (criminal responsibility): refers to the legal accountability for crimes.
  • 刑事警察 (criminal police): police officers specializing in criminal investigations.

Important Notes

Do not confuse 刑事 with 司法 (judicial) or (crime) alone. 刑事 specifically emphasizes the penal or criminal aspect, often linked to law enforcement or legal responsibility. When using 刑事, the context usually involves formal legal or police matters.

Example Sentences

He is a criminal police officer, specializing in investigating criminal

Criminal responsibility refers to the legal liability one must bear due to

This criminal case has attracted widespread attention from society.