负罪 (fù zuì) literally means 'to bear guilt' — the character 负 (fù) conveys 'to carry, bear, or shoulder', while 罪 (zuì) means 'crime, sin, or guilt'. Together, they form a compound expressing the psychological state of carrying deep remorse or moral responsibility for wrongdoing. It often implies an internal, heavy sense of culpability — not just legal liability, but emotional and ethical burden.

This term is used in both literary and formal contexts, frequently appearing in narratives about moral conflict, confession, repentance, or self-reproach. It’s more solemn and introspective than casual terms like 内疚 (nèijiù, 'guilty') or 愧疚 (kuìjiù, 'remorseful'), and commonly appears with verbs like 感到 (gǎndào, 'to feel'), 背负 (bēifù, 'to bear'), or 活着 (huózhe, 'to live') to emphasize enduring guilt. It rarely occurs in spoken, everyday conversation, leaning instead toward written or dramatic expression.