违例 (wéi lì) literally combines 违 (‘to violate, go against’) and 例 (‘regulation, rule, precedent’), meaning ‘to violate a regulation or rule’. It is most commonly used in formal or institutional contexts — especially in sports (e.g., basketball, soccer, badminton), administrative procedures, workplace policies, or public health enforcement. Unlike the more general 违法 (wéi fǎ, ‘to break the law’), 违例 refers to breaches of specific, often non-criminal rules — such as dress codes, time limits, procedural steps, or competition guidelines.

The term carries a neutral-to-mildly negative tone: it implies a technical infraction rather than moral wrongdoing. It’s frequently paired with verbs like 发生 (fāshēng, ‘to occur’), 判定 (pàndìng, ‘to rule’), or 防止 (fángzhǐ, ‘to prevent’). In spoken Chinese, it’s often heard in announcements (e.g., ‘此行为属违例’ — ‘This action constitutes a violation’) or official notices, especially where compliance with standardized procedures matters.