分赃

• Pinyin: fēn zāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 分 = 八 + 刀 (divide); 赃 = 贝 + 庄 phonetic (money/goods radical — stolen goods, contraband)

Meaning

To divide the spoils; to share stolen goods or ill-gotten gains. To distribute the proceeds of a crime or corrupt act among accomplices.

A strongly negative term used in legal, journalistic, and colloquial contexts to describe the sharing of criminal proceeds. Implies deliberate criminality and conspiracy. 赃 (contraband; ill-gotten goods) carries strong moral and legal condemnation. Sometimes used metaphorically for the corrupt sharing of power or resources through illicit means.

Examples

1. 盗窃团伙按成员作用大小，在窝点内按比例分赃。 The burglary gang divided the spoils at its hideout according to each member's role.
2. 内部通讯显示，数名官员操控招标后通过空壳公司分赃。 Internal messages showed that several officials rigged bids and split the gains through shell companies.
3. 共谋团伙的分赃机制失效，往往会引发相互举报和背叛。 When a conspiracy group's spoil-sharing mechanism fails, mutual reporting and betrayal often follow.

Usage Guide

Context: law, crime, journalism, politics

Tone: condemning

Do Say

• 起诉书列明被告参与分赃的情节，证据链完整清晰。(The indictment detailed the defendant's role in dividing the spoils, with a complete and clear evidence chain.)
• 公共资源被私相授受、内部分赃，会严重破坏公权力信任。(Private deals and internal spoil-sharing over public resources seriously damage trust in public power.)

Don't Say

• 分赃 loosely or humorously for legitimate profit-sharing — it carries strong criminal connotations; for legitimate distribution, use 分红 or 分配利润 instead

Origin & History

分 (to divide, distribute) + 赃 (stolen goods; ill-gotten gains — 贝 goods/money radical + phonetic component — contraband, loot) — to divide and distribute stolen or criminally obtained goods

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal