📖 Meaning
The stolen goods are genuine and the culprit is a confirmed, real offender. The phrase describes a case in which criminal evidence is conclusive and irrefutable, leaving no doubt about the guilt.
📜 Origin Story
No authoritative origin story is recorded for this idiom, and no specific dynasty or historical figure is associated with its coinage. It appears to have formed from the pairing of two legal concepts in traditional Chinese jurisprudence: 赃 (stolen goods as physical evidence) and 犯 (the perpetrator of a crime). The four characters together emphasize that both the material evidence and the identity of the criminal are genuine, giving the phrase its sense of airtight, proven guilt in colloquial and legal usage.
💡 Example Usage
警方掌握了真赃实犯，犯罪嫌疑人无法抵赖。
The police have the genuine stolen goods and the proven culprit, so the suspect cannot deny the crime.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 真赃实犯
- Pinyin: zhēn zāng shí fàn
- Literal Translation: true, stolen goods, actual, criminal
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4