In Chinese culture, which places a high value on social harmony (和谐, héxié) and order, crime is seen as a serious disruption. The term 犯人 (fànrén) reflects this by being a label that clearly separates an individual from the law-abiding collective. It's a functional, almost bureaucratic term that focuses on a person's status as a lawbreaker rather than their individual identity. A useful comparison is to the spectrum of legal terms in English. While English distinguishes carefully between a “suspect,” an “accused,” a “defendant,” and a “convict,” 犯人 (fànrén) is a broad term that often gets used once authorities are confident of guilt, even before a formal conviction in colloquial contexts like news reports. However, in a strict legal sense, it refers to a convicted criminal. This is different from the Western ideal of “innocent until proven guilty,” where media and officials are more cautious with their language. Using 犯人 (fànrén) immediately signifies that the person is on the wrong side of the law, carrying a heavy social stigma that can be difficult to overcome.
犯人 (fànrén) is a standard, neutral-to-formal term used widely across Chinese society.