📖 Meaning
This idiom describes crimes so heinous that they cannot be forgiven or pardoned. It originates from ancient Chinese criminal law, which defined ten categories of capital offenses excluded from any legal leniency or monetary redemption. Today it is used to condemn the most wicked and unpardonable acts.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Sui Dynasty legal code, the Book of Sui: Treatise on Penal Law (《隋书·刑法志》), which enumerated ten major crimes that fell outside the scope of the traditional Eight Deliberations and could not be redeemed through monetary payment. The term was later popularized by the Yuan Dynasty playwright Guan Hanqing in his famous drama The Injustice to Dou E (《窦娥冤》), where the crime of poisoning one's father-in-law was cited as falling under these ten unforgivable offenses. Over centuries the phrase evolved from a specific legal classification into a general expression for utterly unpardonable wickedness.
💡 Example Usage
这个汉奸卖国求荣，十恶不赦，必当严惩不贷。
This traitor sold out his country for personal gain—his crimes are utterly unpardonable and must be severely punished.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 十恶不赦
- Pinyin: shí è bù shè
- Literal Translation: ten, evils, not, pardoned
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4