Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== guòshī: 过失 - Fault, Negligence, Culpable Error ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** guoshi, guòshī, 过失, what does guoshi mean, Chinese for fault, Chinese for negligence, legal term in Chinese, error in Chinese, mistake vs fault in Chinese, culpable error, manslaughter in Chinese. * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of a key Chinese term, **guòshī (过失)**, which translates to fault, negligence, or culpable error. This is not just a simple mistake; it's an error with serious consequences, often used in legal, medical, and formal business contexts. This page explores its specific meaning, how it differs from a general mistake like [[错误]] (cuòwù), and how understanding **guòshī** reveals the cultural weight placed on responsibility and accountability in Chinese society. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** guòshī * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 * **Concise Definition:** A fault, error, or lapse, especially one that implies negligence or legal culpability. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of `过失` as a "blameworthy mistake." It's not an "oops, I forgot the milk" kind of error. It's a failure to exercise the proper care or duty that results in a negative outcome. The key feeling is that the person //should have known better// or //should have been more careful//. It carries a heavy weight of responsibility and is often used when discussing serious accidents, professional malpractice, or significant business failures. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **过 (guò):** This character's original meaning is "to pass" or "to cross." By extension, it also means to go beyond a limit or standard, which leads to the meaning of "transgression," "fault," or "error." * **失 (shī):** This character means "to lose," "to miss," or "to fail." It implies a failure to achieve a goal or maintain a standard. * When combined, **过失 (guòshī)** literally translates to a "transgression (过) through failure/loss (失)." This perfectly captures the modern meaning: a fault that occurs because of a failure of duty, a loss of attention, or a lapse in judgment—in other words, negligence. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **Responsibility over Intention:** `过失` places a strong emphasis on the //outcome// and the failure of one's duty, rather than just the //intention//. In many Western cultures, saying "I didn't mean to" can significantly mitigate blame for a mistake. While intention matters in Chinese culture too, admitting a `过失` is a formal acknowledgment that your lack of care caused a problem, and you are accountable for that consequence, regardless of your intent. * **Comparison to "Negligence":** The closest Western concept is the legal term "negligence." Just as there's a legal difference between a "mistake" and "negligence" in the West, there is a significant social and legal difference between a simple [[错误]] (cuòwù) and a `过失` in China. To call something a `过失` elevates it from a simple error to a serious, culpable failure. It's a term used to assign formal blame and demand accountability, whether in a courtroom, a hospital, or a boardroom. This reflects a cultural value where fulfilling one's responsibilities and duties is paramount to maintaining social and professional order. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Legal and Formal Settings:** This is the most common context for `过失`. You will see it constantly in legal documents, news reports about accidents, and official company apologies. * `过失杀人 (guòshī shārén)` - Manslaughter (literally "killing by negligence") * `医疗过失 (yīliáo guòshī)` - Medical malpractice * `重大过失 (zhòngdà guòshī)` - Gross negligence * **Business and Workplace:** In a professional setting, admitting a `过失` is a very serious step. It's used for errors that cost the company money, damage its reputation, or compromise safety. A manager might say, "这次的损失是我的过失" ("This loss was my fault/negligence") to formally accept full responsibility. * **Informal Conversation:** You will almost //never// hear `过失` used for everyday mistakes. It would sound overly dramatic and strange to say you had a `过失` because you burned the toast or forgot a friend's birthday. For those situations, you would use [[错误]] (cuòwù), [[失误]] (shīwù), or simply say `对不起，我忘了` (duìbuqǐ, wǒ wàng le). ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他因**过失**杀人罪被判了五年。 * Pinyin: Tā yīn **guòshī** shārén zuì bèi pànle wǔ nián. * English: He was sentenced to five years for the crime of manslaughter by negligence. * Analysis: This is a classic legal use of the term. It specifies that the killing was not intentional but was the result of a culpable failure to exercise care. * **Example 2:** * 这家医院因为严重的医疗**过失**而被告上法庭。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā yīyuàn yīnwèi yánzhòng de yīliáo **guòshī** ér bèi gào shàng fǎtíng. * English: This hospital was sued for serious medical malpractice. * Analysis: Here, `医疗过失` is a set phrase for "medical malpractice," highlighting a professional failure of duty. * **Example 3:** * 在这份重要的合同上出现拼写错误，是我的**过失**。 * Pinyin: Zài zhè fèn zhòngyào de hétóng shàng chūxiàn pīnxiě cuòwù, shì wǒ de **guòshī**. * English: The appearance of a typo in this important contract is my fault/negligence. * Analysis: While a typo might seem small, in an "important contract" it constitutes a serious lapse in professional duty. Using `过失` shows the speaker is taking full, formal responsibility. * **Example 4:** * 公司承认，这次数据泄露是由内部管理的**过失**造成的。 * Pinyin: Gōngsī chéngrèn, zhè cì shùjù xièlòu shì yóu nèibù guǎnlǐ de **guòshī** zàochéng de. * English: The company admitted that this data breach was caused by a fault in internal management. * Analysis: This is a formal, public relations-style statement. `过失` is used to officially acknowledge a failure in their system or process. * **Example 5:** * 这只是一个小的技术失误，算不上是**过失**。 * Pinyin: Zhè zhǐshì yígè xiǎo de jìshù shīwù, suàn bu shàng shì **guòshī**. * English: This was just a small technical slip-up; you can't consider it negligence. * Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the distinction. The speaker is downplaying the severity of the error, contrasting a minor `失误` (slip-up) with the much more serious `过失` (negligence). * **Example 6:** * 我为我的**过失**向您表示最诚挚的歉意。 * Pinyin: Wǒ wèi wǒ de **guòshī** xiàng nín biǎoshì zuì chéngzhì de qiànyì. * English: I express my sincerest apologies to you for my fault/negligence. * Analysis: This is a very formal and serious apology. Using `过失` indicates the speaker understands the gravity of their mistake and its consequences. * **Example 7:** * 由于驾驶员的**过失**，火车出轨了。 * Pinyin: Yóuyú jiàshǐyuán de **guòshī**, huǒchē chūguǐ le. * English: The train derailed due to the driver's negligence. * Analysis: This is a typical way news reports would describe the cause of an accident, assigning blame in a formal, factual way. * **Example 8:** * 他最大的**过失**就是太相信一个不值得信任的人。 * Pinyin: Tā zuìdà de **guòshī** jiùshì tài xiāngxìn yígè bù zhídé xìnrèn de rén. * English: His greatest fault was trusting someone who wasn't worthy of trust. * Analysis: This example is more philosophical. It frames a major life mistake—a serious error in judgment with severe consequences—as a `过失`. * **Example 9:** * 尽管是无意的**过失**，他还是承担了全部责任。 * Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn shì wúyì de **guòshī**, tā háishì chéngdānle quánbù zérèn. * English: Although it was an unintentional fault, he still bore full responsibility. * Analysis: This sentence highlights the nuance that a `过失` is typically unintentional (unlike a `故意` act), but still requires the person to take responsibility (`承担责任`). * **Example 10:** * 审计员发现了财务报告中的几处重大**过失**。 * Pinyin: Shěnjìyuán fāxiànle cáiwù bàogào zhōng de jǐ chù zhòngdà **guòshī**. * English: The auditor discovered several instances of gross negligence in the financial report. * Analysis: `重大过失` (zhòngdà guòshī) is a common collocation meaning "gross negligence" or "major fault," indicating a severe level of failure. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`过失 (guòshī)` vs. `错误 (cuòwù)` vs. `失误 (shīwù)`:** This is the most critical distinction for a learner. * **[[过失]] (guòshī):** Serious, culpable fault due to negligence. Implies responsibility for negative consequences. (//e.g., A surgeon leaving a tool inside a patient.//) * **[[错误]] (cuòwù):** A general "mistake" or "error." It can be factual, grammatical, or a poor decision. It is the most neutral and common term. (//e.g., You made a calculation error.//) * **[[失误]] (shīwù):** A slip-up or error in performance/execution. It focuses on the action itself going wrong. (//e.g., A basketball player missing an easy shot.//) * **False Friend: "Fault"** In English, "fault" can be used very casually ("It's my fault we're late"). `过失` is //never// used this casually. It always implies a serious context where a duty of care was breached. Think "negligence" or "culpable error" to avoid misusing it. * **Incorrect Usage Example:** * **Incorrect:** `对不起，我把你的名字写错了，这是我的过失。` (Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bǎ nǐ de míngzì xiě cuòle, zhè shì wǒ de guòshī.) * **Reason:** Spelling someone's name wrong is a simple mistake, not negligence. Using `过失` is far too dramatic and formal. * **Correct:** `对不起，我把你的名字写错了，这是我的错误。` (...zhè shì wǒ de cuòwù.) or more naturally, `...是我的错。` (...shì wǒ de cuò.) ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[错误]] (cuòwù) - The general, neutral term for "mistake" or "error." `过失` is a specific, more serious type of `错误`. * [[失误]] (shīwù) - An error in execution, a slip-up, a lapse. It's less about moral or legal blame and more about a failed action. * [[过错]] (guòcuò) - Fault, wrongdoing. Very similar to `过失`, but can carry a stronger sense of moral, rather than just procedural, blame. * [[疏忽]] (shūhu) - Carelessness, negligence, an oversight. A close synonym that emphasizes the //lack of attention// that led to the fault. * [[责任]] (zérèn) - Responsibility, duty. A `过失` always entails a failure of `责任`, and a discussion of who should `承担责任` (bear responsibility). * [[故意]] (gùyì) - On purpose, intentionally. This is the direct antonym to the concept of `过失`, which is by definition unintentional. An intentional harmful act is not a `过失`. * [[malpractice|医疗过失]] (yīliáo guòshī) - A set phrase for "medical malpractice." * [[manslaughter|过失杀人]] (guòshī shārén) - A set legal phrase for "manslaughter by negligence." * [[承担]] (chéngdān) - To bear, undertake, or assume (e.g., `承担责任`, to assume responsibility). This verb is frequently used in discussions following a `过失`.