====== xúnxìnzīshì: 寻衅滋事 - Picking Quarrels and Provoking Trouble ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** xunxinzishi, 寻衅滋事, picking quarrels and provoking trouble, disorderly conduct China, disturb the peace Chinese, Article 293, Chinese criminal law, pocket crime China, 口袋罪, Chinese legal terms, troublemaking idiom
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and critical cultural context of the Chinese idiom **寻衅滋事 (xúnxìnzīshì)**, which translates to "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." This entry explores its dual use as a common phrase for troublemaking and as a controversial, broadly defined criminal charge in China's legal system (Article 293), often referred to as a "pocket crime" (口袋罪). Understand its significance in maintaining social stability and its practical use in both legal and everyday contexts.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xún xìn zī shì
  * **Part of Speech:** Idiom (Chengyu); Verb Phrase
  * **HSK Level:** N/A
  * **Concise Definition:** To willfully pick quarrels, stir up trouble, and disrupt public order, often for no valid reason.
  * **In a Nutshell:** At its heart, `寻衅滋事` is about someone looking for trouble. It's not just a simple argument; it's the act of intentionally creating a disturbance, causing a scene, or provoking conflict where there was none. While it can describe a neighborhood bully, its most significant modern use is as a formal, and notoriously vague, criminal charge in the People's Republic of China.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **寻 (xún):** To seek, to look for, to search for.
  * **衅 (xìn):** A pretext for a fight; a dispute; a quarrel.
  * **滋 (zī):** To cause; to provoke; to stir up; to grow.
  * **事 (shì):** A matter; an incident; trouble; business.
The characters literally combine to paint a vivid picture: "to seek a quarrel (and) provoke an incident." This structure clearly shows the deliberate and malicious nature of the act.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The term `寻衅滋事` is one of the most important and controversial phrases to understand in the context of modern Chinese law and society. Its significance goes far beyond its literal meaning.
  * **The "Pocket Crime" (口袋罪 - kǒudài zuì):** In the West, a similar concept might be "disorderly conduct" or "disturbing the peace." However, these are typically minor offenses. In China, `寻衅滋事` is a charge under Article 293 of the Criminal Law that can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison (or more in severe cases). Its definition is notoriously broad and includes actions like "willfully attacking or cursing others," "chasing or intercepting others," and "causing a disturbance in a public place." Critics, both within and outside of China, refer to it as a **口袋罪 (kǒudài zuì)**—a "pocket crime"—because its vague wording allows authorities to "put" a wide range of behaviors into it, especially those that don't fit other specific criminal charges.
  * **Upholding Social Stability (稳定 - wěndìng):** The existence and frequent use of this charge are deeply connected to the paramount cultural and political value of **稳定 (wěndìng)**, or stability. From the government's perspective, this law is a tool to maintain public order and social harmony by punishing those who disrupt it. Actions that might be seen as expressions of free speech or protest in the West, such as public demonstrations, vocal criticism of officials, or online activism, can sometimes be prosecuted under this charge if deemed to be disrupting public order.
  * **Contrast with "Disorderly Conduct":** While "disorderly conduct" in the U.S. might get you a fine or a night in jail for being drunk and yelling in the street, `寻衅滋事` can be applied to petitioners seeking justice from the government, citizen journalists, or human rights lawyers. This political dimension is the key difference and what makes the term so charged and significant. It reflects a different balance between individual expression and state-enforced collective harmony.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Formal Legal Context:** This is its primary and most serious usage. News reports and official police statements will frequently use this term to describe the reason for an arrest. For example: "The suspect was criminally detained on suspicion of `寻衅滋事`."
  * **Media and Official Discourse:** State-run media uses the term to frame certain individuals as aimless troublemakers who threaten the well-being of society, thereby justifying their detention and legitimizing the state's actions.
  * **Informal/Figurative Use:** In everyday conversation, people might use it in a less serious, sometimes even humorous or exasperated way. It's a formal-sounding way to tell someone they are "looking for trouble" or "making a scene for no reason." In this context, it's a powerful way to accuse someone of being deliberately difficult.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 警方通报，这几名男子因在公共场所**寻衅滋事**而被拘留。
    * Pīnyīn: Jǐngfāng tōngbào, zhè jǐ míng nánzǐ yīn zài gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ **xúnxìnzīshì** ér bèi jūliú.
    * English: The police announced that these men were detained for picking quarrels and provoking trouble in a public place.
    * Analysis: This is a typical formal, legal usage you would see in a news report.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 你别喝多了就在这儿**寻衅滋事**，快跟我回家！
    * Pīnyīn: Nǐ bié hē duō le jiù zài zhèr **xúnxìnzīshì**, kuài gēn wǒ huíjiā!
    * English: Stop getting drunk and making a scene here, come home with me now!
    * Analysis: An informal, conversational use. The speaker is using a very strong, formal term to scold someone, emphasizing the seriousness of their disruptive behavior.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 他因为在网上散布谣言、**寻衅滋事**，被依法处理了。
    * Pīnyīn: Tā yīnwèi zài wǎngshàng sànbù yáoyán, **xúnxìnzīshì**, bèi yīfǎ chǔlǐ le.
    * English: He was dealt with according to the law for spreading rumors and provoking trouble online.
    * Analysis: This example highlights the application of the charge to online behavior, a common occurrence in modern China.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 我只是想解决问题，不是来**寻衅滋事**的。
    * Pīnyīn: Wǒ zhǐshì xiǎng jiějué wèntí, búshì lái **xúnxìnzīshì** de.
    * English: I'm just here to solve the problem, not to pick a fight.
    * Analysis: A good example of using the term in the negative to clarify one's peaceful intentions in a tense situation.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 根据《刑法》第二百九十三条，**寻衅滋事**罪最高可判处五年有期徒刑。
    * Pīnyīn: Gēnjù "Xíngfǎ" dì èrbǎi jiǔshísān tiáo, **xúnxìnzīshì** zuì zuìgāo kě pànchǔ wǔ nián yǒuqī túxíng.
    * English: According to Article 293 of the Criminal Law, the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble can be punished with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
    * Analysis: A direct reference to the legal code, showing the term in its most technical context.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 他们一伙人经常在村里**寻衅滋事**，欺负老实人。
    * Pīnyīn: Tāmen yī huǒ rén jīngcháng zài cūn li **xúnxìnzīshì**, qīfù lǎoshí rén.
    * English: Their group often picks quarrels and provokes trouble in the village, bullying honest people.
    * Analysis: This describes habitual, disruptive behavior, similar to how one might describe a local gang or group of bullies.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 别理他，他就是个喜欢**寻衅滋事**的无赖。
    * Pīnyīn: Bié lǐ tā, tā jiùshì ge xǐhuān **xúnxìnzīshì** de wúlài.
    * English: Ignore him, he's just a scoundrel who loves to stir up trouble.
    * Analysis: Here, the term is used to describe a person's character trait—someone who is inherently a troublemaker.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 双方的谈判进行得很顺利，没有人**寻衅滋事**。
    * Pīnyīn: Shuāngfāng de tánpàn jìnxíng de hěn shùnlì, méiyǒu rén **xúnxìnzīshì**.
    * English: The negotiations between the two sides went very smoothly; no one tried to provoke trouble.
    * Analysis: This illustrates a situation where troublemaking was a possibility but was thankfully avoided.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 他仅仅因为在社交媒体上发了一句批评的话，就被指控**寻衅滋事**。
    * Pīnyīn: Tā jǐnjǐn yīnwèi zài shèjiāo méitǐ shàng fāle yí jù pīpíng de huà, jiù bèi zhǐkòng **xúnxìnzīshì**.
    * English: He was accused of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" just for posting a critical sentence on social media.
    * Analysis: This example directly points to the controversial use of the law to police speech, a common criticism.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 作为成年人，你应该控制自己的情绪，而不是随意**寻衅滋事**。
    * Pīnyīn: Zuòwéi chéngniánrén, nǐ yīnggāi kòngzhì zìjǐ de qíngxù, ér búshì suíyì **xúnxìnzīshì**.
    * English: As an adult, you should control your emotions instead of randomly starting fights.
    * Analysis: This is used in a didactic or advisory context, teaching someone about proper social conduct.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Not Just a Simple Argument:** A common mistake for learners is to equate `寻衅滋事` with having an argument (`吵架 chǎojià`). `吵架` is a two-sided disagreement. `寻衅滋事` is a one-sided, malicious act of starting trouble, often with an innocent or random victim, with the intent to disrupt public peace.
  * **Underestimating its Seriousness:** While you can use it informally, never forget its primary meaning is a serious crime. Joking about "寻衅滋事" in a sensitive situation (e.g., near police) would be extremely unwise. It's not a lighthearted synonym for "making a scene."
  * **False Friend: "Disorderly Conduct":** As mentioned, this is the closest English legal concept but is a "false friend." "Disorderly conduct" is a minor misdemeanor in the West. `寻衅滋事` is a serious charge in China that can be used to suppress dissent and carries significant prison time. The political and social weight of the Chinese term is far heavier.
  * **Incorrect Usage Example:**
    * //Incorrect:// 我和我的朋友昨天**寻衅滋事**了，因为我们对电影有不同的看法。 (Wǒ hé wǒ de péngyǒu zuótiān xúnxìnzīshì le, yīnwèi wǒmen duì diànyǐng yǒu bùtóng de kànfǎ.)
    * //Why it's wrong:// This is just a disagreement or debate (`争论 zhēnglùn`) between friends. There is no malicious intent to disrupt public order. The correct way to say this would be: "我和我的朋友昨天争论了起来" (Wǒ hé wǒ de péngyǒu zuótiān zhēnglùn le qǐlái - My friend and I got into an argument yesterday).
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * * [[口袋罪]] (kǒudài zuì) - "Pocket crime," the well-known nickname for vaguely-worded charges like `寻衅滋事` that can be used to prosecute a wide variety of behaviors.
  * * [[扰乱公共秩序]] (rǎoluàn gōnggòng zhìxù) - To disturb public order. This is the broader legal category of crime that `寻衅滋事` falls under.
  * * [[无事生非]] (wú shì shēng fēi) - To make trouble out of nothing. A very similar chengyu, but it's purely descriptive and has no legal weight. It describes someone who creates drama.
  * * [[挑衅]] (tiǎoxìn) - To provoke. This is a key component of `寻衅滋事` but is a more general term. You can provoke someone (`挑衅某人`) without it rising to the level of a public crime.
  * * [[闹事]] (nàoshì) - To make trouble; to cause a disturbance. A more colloquial and less formal term than `寻衅滋事`.
  * * [[治安管理处罚法]] (zhì'ān guǎnlǐ chǔfá fǎ) - The Public Security Administration Punishments Law. This law governs minor offenses that are not serious enough to be considered criminal, often resulting in warnings, fines, or short administrative detentions. Less severe cases of troublemaking may fall under this law instead of the Criminal Law.
  * * [[稳定]] (wěndìng) - Stability. The overarching social and political goal that laws like the one against `寻衅滋事` are designed to protect.