Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to violate the law' with 违法 (wéifǎ)

    Actions & Events
    Obligation & Necessity

    Structure

    Subject + 可能 + 违法

    Explanation

    违法 (wéifǎ) means "to violate the law" or "illegal," combining 违 (to violate) and 法 (law). It can function as both a verb and an adjective. For example, 可能违法 means "may be illegal."

    Examples

    • 在公共场所吸烟是违法的。

      Zài gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ xīyān shì wéifǎ de.

      Smoking in public places is illegal.

    • 这种行为已经违法了，你要小心。

      Zhè zhǒng xíngwéi yǐjīng wéifǎ le, nǐ yào xiǎoxīn.

      This kind of behavior is already illegal — you should be careful.

    • 他们因为违法经营被罚了一大笔钱。

      Tāmen yīnwèi wéifǎ jīngyíng bèi fá le yí dà bǐ qián.

      They were fined a large sum of money for illegal business operations.

    Often Confused With

    Expressing 'to violate the law' with 违法 (wéifǎ) | Chinese Grammar