罪魁祸首

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zuì kuí huò shǒu
• English Translation: The main culprit, the root of all evil, the ringleader, the principal offender
• Idiom Composition: 「罪」（Crime, guilt）＋「魁」（Leader, chief）＋「祸」（Disaster, calamity）＋「首」（Leader, principal person responsible）
• Meaning: Refers to the central figure who caused a crime or disaster, or the fundamental cause of a problem or calamity. It often carries a strong connotation of blame and accountability.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「罪魁祸首」 contains the following nuances:

• Primary responsibility: Refers to the person or thing that bears the greatest responsibility for a problem or disaster.
• Strong blame: Often indicates not just a cause, but a morally culpable cause that is subject to strong criticism or blame.
• Root cause: Sometimes refers to a deeper, fundamental cause rather than a superficial one.

3. Usage

「罪魁祸首」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Clarifying responsibility: Used when identifying the cause of accidents, incidents, or problems and clarifying who is responsible.
  • Example:「这次事故的罪魁祸首是设备老化。」
    （The main culprit of this accident is the aging equipment.）
• Blame and criticism: Used to strongly blame or criticize a person or thing.
  • Example:「他是导致公司破产的罪魁祸首。」
    （He is the principal offender who caused the company's bankruptcy.）
• Pointing out the root cause of a problem: Used to point out the fundamental cause of complex issues such as social or environmental problems.
  • Example:「环境污染的罪魁祸首是那些不顾后果的工业排放。」
    （The root of all evil in environmental pollution is the reckless industrial emissions.）

Additional Examples:

1. 经过调查，他被认定为这起诈骗案的罪魁祸首。
   （After investigation, he was identified as the ringleader of this fraud case.）
2. 腐败是导致社会动荡的罪魁祸首之一。
   （Corruption is one of the main culprits causing social unrest.）
3. 在这场战争中，真正的罪魁祸首是那些挑起争端的政客。
   （The true main culprits in this war are the politicians who provoked the conflicts.）
4. 很多人认为，他是导致公司业绩下滑的罪魁祸首。
   （Many people believe he is the principal offender responsible for the company's declining performance.）
5. 这次火灾的罪魁祸首是电线短路。
   （The main culprit of this fire was a short circuit in the wiring.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Culture of accountability: In Chinese culture, it is important to thoroughly investigate the causes of problems and clarify who is responsible. The idiom '罪魁祸首' reflects this cultural emphasis on accountability.
• Strong connotation of blame: '罪魁祸首' carries a strong nuance of blame and moral responsibility, so it should be used carefully.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
• Opposite Idioms:

6. Summary

'罪魁祸首' refers to the root cause of a problem or disaster and carries a strong connotation of blame and accountability. Rooted in the Chinese cultural emphasis on responsibility, it is used in various contexts such as accidents, incidents, and social issues. Understanding its strong nuance of criticism is important for appropriate usage.