犯す

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 犯す is read as おかす and is a transitive verb meaning to commit a wrong or crime or to violate a rule or law.
• Basic usage: A wrong appears in 過ちを犯す, while a legal violation appears in 法を犯す, with the object marked by を.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Negative objects
  • It takes words connected with wrongdoing or violation, such as 過ち, 罪, and 法; it is not a general verb for performing an action.
• Difference from 間違える
  • 間違える also covers ordinary mistakes such as choosing a wrong answer, while 犯す suits weightier collocations involving a wrong, crime, or breach of a norm.