罪魁祸首
zuì kuí huò shǒu
the chief culprit; the root cause
Character by character
罪zuì
crime
crime
魁kuí
chief
chief
祸huò
disaster
disaster
首shǒu
head
head
Example
专家认为，长时间近距离看屏幕是孩子近视的罪魁祸首之一。
Experts believe long hours looking at screens up close are one of the main culprits behind children’s short sight.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
Once the ringleader of a crime; now just as often a thing: 堵车的罪魁祸首, 污染的罪魁祸首. Often softened with 之一.
Learn this in Lesson 118 · HSK 7–9: 土坑酸菜 (Exposé: the pickled-cabbage pits)
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.
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