死有余辜 deserves more than death
Explanation
形容罪行极其严重，即使判处死刑也不能完全抵消罪责。
Describes a crime so serious that even the death penalty cannot fully compensate for the guilt.
Origin Story
西汉时期，路温舒是一位精通法律的官员，他看不惯当时法律的严苛和狱卒屈打成招的现象。他上书汉宣帝，指出许多冤假错案，即使是清官断案，也可能因为证据不足或其他原因，导致判决结果看似公正却实则冤枉，犯人即使处死也难消其罪。汉宣帝采纳了他的建议，推行仁政，减少冤狱。路温舒的奏疏中，就多次提到"死有余辜"这个词，用来形容那些罪大恶极，即使处死也难以抵偿其罪恶的罪犯。 一个贪官污吏，长期搜刮民脂民膏，鱼肉百姓，民怨沸腾。最终，他被捕入狱，等待他的是严厉的惩罚。然而，即使判处死刑，也无法完全弥补他犯下的滔天罪行，他的罪行罄竹难书，死有余辜，这便是对他的最终评价。
During the Western Han Dynasty, Lu WenShu was an official who was well-versed in the law. He disapproved of the harshness of the law at that time and the practice of jailers extorting confessions through torture. He wrote to Emperor Han Xuandi, pointing out many unjust cases. Even judges who tried to be fair could, due to lack of evidence or other reasons, lead to unjust verdicts where even the execution of the defendant could not make up for the harm. Han Xuandi adopted his suggestions and implemented a policy of benevolence and justice to reduce unjust imprisonment. In Lu WenShu's writings, the term "死有余辜" (sǐ yǒu yú gū) was used several times to describe criminals whose crimes were so serious that even execution could not make up for their wrongdoing. A corrupt official who plundered and oppressed the people for many years was finally arrested and had to face severe punishment. However, even the death penalty could not fully compensate for his heinous crimes. His crimes were innumerable, and he deserved more than death – that was his final judgment.
Usage
用于形容罪大恶极，即使处死也难以抵偿其罪行。多用于对罪犯的评价或感叹。
Used to describe a heinous crime, even death cannot atone for the crime. Often used to evaluate or lament a criminal.
Examples
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他犯下滔天大罪，死有余辜！
ta fan xia taotiandazui, si you yu gu!
He committed heinous crimes, he deserves to die!
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如此恶行，死有余辜都不为过！
ruci e xing, si you yu gu dou bu wei guo!
Such evil deeds, death is too little punishment!