人赃俱获
rén zāng jù huò
to catch a thief with the stolen goods
Character by character
人rén
person
person
赃zāng
loot
loot
俱jù
both
both
获huò
seized
seized
Example
小偷正要把偷来的手机卖掉，就被埋伏在附近的民警人赃俱获。
The thief was just about to sell the stolen phone when officers lying in wait nearby caught him with it.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
A crime-report phrase: 赃 is stolen goods, as in 赃物 and 栽赃, and 俱 means both. Usually 被…人赃俱获 or 当场人赃俱获; it means the case is as good as proved.
Learn this in Lesson 193 · HSK 7–9: 一桩刑事案 (How a criminal case moves)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →