Before striking someone, consider detention, compensation, and a possible criminal sentence
An assault can bring five to ten days’ detention and RMB 500–1,000, with criminal penalties if injuries meet the legal threshold. Compensation is separate. In official examples, a defendant who broke three ribs paid RMB 113,000 and reached a settlement before receiving a non-prosecution decision; another who fractured a radius and did not compensate received ten months’ imprisonment.
What it takes
Nothing to refrain from violence. The difficult moment is the few seconds before acting.
What you may gain
Assault or intentional injury under the administrative provision carries five to ten days’ detention and a RMB 500–1,000 fine. Group attacks, attacks on specified vulnerable people, repeated assaults, or assaulting several people bring ten to 15 days and RMB 1,000–2,000. Intentional injury meeting the criminal “minor injury” threshold can carry up to three years’ imprisonment, criminal detention, or public surveillance; serious injury carries three to ten years. Civil damages may include medical bills, lost earnings, nursing, travel, hospital-meal allowances, and nutrition costs. Disability adds disability compensation, assessed with the relevant disability factors and a calculation base using the previous year’s urban per-capita disposable income where the court sits over 20 years. Above age 60, the period decreases by one year for each additional year of age; from 75, five years are used. In 2022, prosecutors accepted over 70,000 minor-injury cases, most arising from family or neighbor disputes or chance incidents. In the Lu case, three fractured ribs were assessed as grade-2 minor injury; RMB 113,000 compensation and settlement supported non-prosecution. In the Shi case, a fractured radius was also grade-2 minor injury; no compensation was paid and the sentence was ten months. The revised administrative law took effect on 1 January 2026.
Context & considerations
For avoiding conflict and understanding self-defense, see chapter 8, entry 10 and the following entries on defense, revenge, attacks on strangers, and dangerous impulses. Police may mediate minor fights arising from private disputes. Actual compensation and settlement can support leniency or non-prosecution in suitable minor-injury cases, but do not guarantee it or remove the financial loss. Injury categories require forensic assessment; the detailed standard was not verified here. Lost earnings and nursing costs depend on actual circumstances and time, not a universal figure.
Research & references
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2025). Revised Public Security Administration Punishments Law, Articles 9 and 51. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202506/t20250627_699863.shtml; National People’s Congress (1997). Criminal Law, Article 234. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180206_364975.shtml; Supreme People’s Court (amended 2022). Personal-injury compensation interpretation, Judicial Interpretation 2022 No. 14, Articles 6–12 and 15. https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/357071.html; Supreme People’s Procuratorate and Ministry of Public Security (2023). Guidance on appropriate handling of minor-injury cases. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/xwfbh/wsfbt/202303/t20230302_604352.shtml; Supreme People’s Procuratorate (2023). Typical minor-injury cases. https://www.spp.gov.cn/xwfbh/dxal/202303/t20230302_605116.shtml.