📖 Meaning
This idiom means that according to the law, there is no possibility of leniency or pardon. It describes a situation where a crime is so serious or clear-cut that legal provisions offer no room for commutation. It is typically used in judicial or punitive contexts to justify strict punishment.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the 'Qing Shi Gao' (Draft History of Qing), specifically the 'Treatise on Penal Law' (刑法志一). It discusses how banditry cases should distinguish between those whose offenses are unpardonable under law (法无可贷) and those whose circumstances warrant leniency (情有可原). The principle reflects the idea of executing the ringleaders while pardoning those coerced into following, a traditional judicial philosophy emphasizing both severity and mercy in governance.
💡 Example Usage
此等恶徒杀人越货，法无可贷，当依律严惩不贷。
Such scoundrels who murder and plunder are unpardonable under the law and must be severely punished according to statute.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 法无可贷
- Pinyin: fǎ wú kě dài
- Literal Translation: law, none, can, pardon
- Category: Power
- Characters: 4