凶手
Traditional: 兇手
xīong shǒu HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

警察正在追捕凶手。
Jǐngchá zhèngzài zhuībǔ xiōngshǒu.
The police are chasing the murderer.
凶手最终被法庭定罪。
Xiōngshǒu zuìzhōng bèi fǎtíng dìngzuì.
The assassin was finally convicted by the court.
这个凶手的手段非常残忍。
Zhège xiōngshǒu de shǒuduàn fēicháng cánrěn.
This murderer's methods are very cruel.
凶手逃跑了。
Xiōngshǒu táopǎo le.
The murderer escaped.
凶手很残忍。
Xiōngshǒu hěn cánrěn.
The murderer is very cruel.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 凶 (xiōng) means 'fierce' or 'ominous,' and 手 (shǒu) means 'hand.' Think of it as 'fierce hand'—the hand that commits a violent act. This visual can help recall its meaning as the person who carries out a murder.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and can be used in both spoken and written Chinese, though it is more common in formal contexts like news reports, legal discussions, or crime narratives. It typically appears in contexts involving criminal investigations, court cases, or descriptions of violent incidents.

📖 Grammar Points

凶手 is primarily used as a subject or object in sentences, often modified by attributives like 这个 (this), 那个 (that), or 真正的 (real). Example pattern: 凶手 + verb (e.g., 凶手逃跑了 - The murderer escaped). It can also be part of a possessive structure: 凶手的动机 (the murderer's motive).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese media and legal discourse, 凶手 is commonly used to discuss criminal cases, reflecting societal emphasis on justice and accountability. It carries a negative moral judgment, and public discussions often focus on apprehending the 凶手 to restore social order.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar words include 杀手 (shāshǒu, 'killer' or 'hitman', often implying a professional or hired assassin) and 杀人犯 (shārénfàn, 'murderer', with a stronger legal/criminal connotation). 凶手 focuses more on the agent of the crime in a specific incident, while 杀人犯 is a broader legal term for a person convicted of murder.

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