罪魁祸首

zuì kuí huò shǒu

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Uncommon

Definitions

1. criminal ringleader, main offender (idiom); main culprit
2. fig. main cause of a disaster

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 从犯 cóng fàn 从犯 cóng fàn accessory to a crime 罪魁祸首指主犯，从犯指次要帮凶。: accessory to a crime

Related words

1 item

• 罪魁 zuì kuí 罪魁 zuì kuí criminal ringleader 罪魁是罪魁祸首的简称，意思相同。: criminal ringleader

Synonyms

2 items

• 元凶 yuán xiōng 元凶 yuán xiōng chief offender 罪魁祸首和元凶都指主要的犯罪者或祸根。: chief offender
• 主谋 zhǔ móu 主谋 zhǔ móu mastermind 罪魁祸首和主谋都指策划或领导坏事的主要人物。: mastermind

Usage notes

Collocations

常与“成为”“是”搭配，如“他是这次事件的罪魁祸首”。

Common mistakes

不可用于轻微过失；误用会显得夸张，如不说“打碎杯子的罪魁祸首”。

Example Sentences

1 shown

酒后驾车是交通事故的 罪魁祸首 。

Drunk driving is the main culprit of traffic accidents.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 罪魁祸首

• 罪 罪 zuì: guilt
• 首 首 shǒu: head
• 祸 祸 huò: disaster
• 祸首 祸首 huò shǒu: chief offender
• 罪魁 罪魁 zuì kuí: criminal ringleader
• 魁 魁 kuí: chief