wéiguī: 违规 - To Violate Regulations, Non-compliant

• Keywords: wéiguī, 违规, violate regulations in Chinese, break the rules Chinese, non-compliant, illegal, foul (in sports), Chinese for violation, wéiguī meaning, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 违规 (wéiguī), which means “to violate regulations” or be “non-compliant.” This page breaks down the meaning of 违规, explaining how it's used in contexts from traffic and business to online gaming. Understand the cultural significance of rules in China and learn to distinguish wéiguī from more serious terms like “illegal” or “criminal.” With practical examples and clear analysis, you'll master how to use 违规 to describe anything from a simple parking ticket to a major corporate violation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wéiguī
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To go against or fail to comply with established rules, regulations, or standards.
• In a Nutshell: 违规 (wéiguī) is the go-to word for breaking a formal rule. It’s not for general naughtiness, like a child refusing to eat vegetables. Instead, think of it as crossing a clearly defined line: parking in a no-parking zone, making a foul in a basketball game, or violating a company's safety policy. The term implies that a system of rules (规) exists, and an action has gone against (违) it. The feeling is less about good vs. evil and more about compliant vs. non-compliant.

• 违 (wéi): This character means “to disobey,” “to violate,” or “to go against.” It's composed of the 辶 (chuò) radical, which means “to walk,” and 韦 (wéi), which provides the sound and originally meant “tanned leather” or things that are opposite/apart. So, 违 literally suggests “walking in the opposite direction” of what is required.
• 规 (guī): This character originally depicted a compass used for drawing circles. From this, it gained the meaning of “standard,” “rule,” or “regulation”—something that provides a perfect, unchangeable pattern to follow.
• Together, 违规 (wéiguī) literally means “to go against the standard/rules,” a perfect and logical combination of its parts.

• In modern China, society is highly structured by rules and regulations, from national laws (法律 fǎlǜ) down to company policies (公司规定 gōngsī guīdìng) and even community guidelines (社区公约 shèqū gōngyuē). The term 违规 (wéiguī) is therefore extremely common and important, as it captures the act of stepping outside these prescribed boundaries.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: While 违规 (wéiguī) can be translated as “to break the rules,” it has a more formal and systematic connotation than its English counterpart. In English, you can “break the rules” of a casual board game with friends. In Chinese, you'd be more likely to say something else in that informal context. 违规 is almost always tied to an official or semi-official system of regulations. It's closer to the concept of a “violation” or being “non-compliant.” For example, a child being mischievous is 淘气 (táoqì), but a student caught cheating on a standardized test is 违规 (wéiguī). This reflects a cultural emphasis on order, adherence to procedure, and collective harmony.

违规 (wéiguī) is a versatile term used across many domains. The severity of the violation can range from minor to extremely serious.

This is one of the most common uses. It describes actions that break administrative rules, which may or may not be severe crimes.

• 违规停车 (wéiguī tíngchē): Illegal parking
• 违规驾驶 (wéiguī jiàshǐ): Reckless or illegal driving
• 交通违规 (jiāotōng wéiguī): A traffic violation

Used to describe actions that go against company policy or industry regulations.

• 违规操作 (wéiguī cāozuò): Improper/non-compliant operation (e.g., of machinery)
• 违规解雇 (wéiguī jiěgù): Unlawful termination/firing
• 财务违规 (cáiwù wéiguī): Financial irregularities

Refers to a foul or an action that breaks the rules of the game.

• 违规动作 (wéiguī dòngzuò): An illegal move; a foul
• 技术违规 (jìshù wéiguī): A technical foul

With the rise of the digital world, 违规 is frequently used for breaking terms of service.

• 内容违规 (nèiróng wéiguī): Content violation (e.g., a post that gets deleted)
• 账号因违规被封 (zhànghào yīn wéiguī bèi fēng): The account was banned due to violations.

• Example 1:
  • 对不起，先生，您在这里违规停车了。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, xiānsheng, nín zài zhèlǐ wéiguī tíngchē le.
  • English: Sorry, sir, you have parked illegally here.
  • Analysis: A very common and polite way a traffic officer might address a driver. 违规停车 (wéiguī tíngchē) is a set phrase for “illegal parking.”
• Example 2:
  • 这名球员因为一个严重的违规动作被红牌罚下。
  • Pinyin: Zhè míng qiúyuán yīnwèi yí ge yánzhòng de wéiguī dòngzuò bèi hóngpái fá xià.
  • English: This player was sent off with a red card for a serious foul.
  • Analysis: Here, 违规 is used as an adjective modifying 动作 (dòngzuò - action/move) to mean a “foul” or “illegal move” in sports.
• Example 3:
  • 任何违规操作都可能导致严重的安全事故。
  • Pinyin: Rènhé wéiguī cāozuò dōu kěnéng dǎozhì yánzhòng de ānquán shìgù.
  • English: Any non-compliant operation could lead to a serious safety accident.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the serious consequences of 违规 in a professional context like a factory or construction site. 违规操作 (wéiguī cāozuò) is a key term in workplace safety.
• Example 4:
  • 你的帖子内容违规，已被系统删除。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de tiězi nèiróng wéiguī, yǐ bèi xìtǒng shānchú.
  • English: Your post's content violated the rules and has been deleted by the system.
  • Analysis: A typical automated message from a social media platform or forum. Here, 违规 is used as a verb: “the content violates the rules.”
• Example 5:
  • 公司正在调查几起内部财务违规事件。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī zhèngzài diàochá jǐ qǐ nèibù cáiwù wéiguī shìjiàn.
  • English: The company is investigating several incidents of internal financial irregularities.
  • Analysis: This shows 违规 used in a corporate and financial context, implying serious wrongdoing that goes against company policy and potentially the law.
• Example 6:
  • 在考试中作弊是一种严重的违规行为。
  • Pinyin: Zài kǎoshì zhōng zuòbì shì yì zhǒng yánzhòng de wéiguī xíngwéi.
  • English: Cheating on an exam is a serious violation.
  • Analysis: 违规行为 (wéiguī xíngwéi) means “violating behavior” or simply “a violation.” This is a common and slightly more formal way to phrase it.
• Example 7:
  • 他因为多次违规，驾照被吊销了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi duō cì wéiguī, jiàzhào bèi diàoxiāo le.
  • English: His driver's license was revoked because he committed multiple violations.
  • Analysis: Here, 违规 is used as a standalone noun, referring to the violations themselves.
• Example 8:
  • 这家工厂因环境污染问题被处以巨额违规罚款。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngchǎng yīn huánjìng wūrǎn wèntí bèi chǔyǐ jù'é wéiguī fákuǎn.
  • English: This factory was given a huge fine for violations related to environmental pollution issues.
  • Analysis: This example connects the violation (违规) with its consequence, a fine (罚款 - fákuǎn).
• Example 9:
  • 我们必须确保所有流程都合法合规，不能有任何违规。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū quèbǎo suǒyǒu liúchéng dōu héfǎ hégui, bùnéng yǒu rènhé wéiguī.
  • English: We must ensure all procedures are legal and compliant; there cannot be any violations.
  • Analysis: This sentence cleverly uses the antonym 合规 (hégui - compliant) alongside 违规 to emphasize the importance of following rules.
• Example 10:
  • 如果你违规了，就要承担相应的后果。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ wéiguī le, jiù yào chéngdān xiāngyìng de hòuguǒ.
  • English: If you violate the rules, you must bear the corresponding consequences.
  • Analysis: A general and powerful statement about accountability. 违规 is used as a verb here: “to violate the rules.”

• 违规 (wéiguī) vs. 犯法 (fànfǎ) / 犯罪 (fànzuì): This is the most critical distinction.
  • 违规 (wéiguī): Breaking a rule or regulation. This may or may not be against the law. (e.g., Violating a company's dress code is 违规, but not illegal).
  • 犯法 (fànfǎ) / 违法 (wéifǎ): Breaking the law. All illegal acts are 犯法, but they might range from minor (like illegal parking, which is also 违规) to serious.
  • 犯罪 (fànzuì): Committing a (serious) crime. This refers to indictable offenses like theft, assault, or murder.
  • Incorrect Usage: Don't say “他因为偷东西违规了” (He violated the rules by stealing). Stealing is a crime, so you should say “他因为偷东西犯罪了” (He committed a crime by stealing).
• Formal vs. Informal Rules: 违规 is for formal, written-down rules. For breaking informal social norms (e.g., talking loudly in a quiet cafe), you'd more likely describe the action itself (e.g., “他说话声音太大了” - He's talking too loudly) rather than labeling it 违规.
• Verb vs. Adjective: Remember 违规 can function as both.
  • Verb: 他违规了。 (Tā wéiguī le.) - He violated the rules.
  • Adjective: 这是一个违规行为。 (Zhè shì yí ge wéiguī xíngwéi.) - This is a non-compliant action.

• 规定 (guīdìng) - Regulation, rule; to stipulate. This is the “rule” that is often violated in a 违规 act.
• 规则 (guīzé) - Rule, regulation. Similar to 规定, but often used for games, traffic, and other systems.
• 合规 (hégui) - Compliant; in accordance with regulations. The direct antonym of 违规.
• 犯法 (fànfǎ) - To break the law. More serious than many 违规 acts, as it specifically refers to breaking state law.
• 违法 (wéifǎ) - Illegal; to break the law. A close synonym of 犯法.
• 犯罪 (fànzuì) - To commit a crime. The most serious level of transgression, implying a criminal offense.
• 处罚 (chǔfá) - To punish; punishment. The common consequence for a 违规 act.
• 罚款 (fákuǎn) - To fine; a monetary fine. A very common type of 处罚.
• 章程 (zhāngchéng) - Constitution; articles of association. The formal set of rules for an organization, which one can 违规.
• 操作 (cāozuò) - To operate; operation. Frequently paired with 违规 in a work context (违规操作).