腐败

• Pinyin: fǔ bài
• Hanzi breakdown: 腐 = 广 + 肉 + 府 (putrid, rotten flesh); 败 = 贝 + 攴 (defeat, decay, fail)

Meaning

Corrupt; rotten. As an adjective, describes moral corruption or physical decay. Also used as a noun for corruption.

Primarily used in the political and social sense of corruption, especially among officials. Also retains the literal sense of food or organic matter decomposing. Anti-corruption campaigns (反腐败) are a prominent topic in contemporary Chinese politics.

Examples

1. 政府大力惩治腐败官员，向全社会传递了从严治党的强烈信号。 The government has come down hard on corrupt officials, sending a strong signal to the whole society.
2. 这块猪肉因未及时冷藏，在高温下迅速腐败变质。 Because it wasn’t refrigerated in time, this pork quickly spoiled in the high heat.
3. 腐败现象严重侵蚀了政府的公信力，引发了民众的强烈不满。 Corruption has seriously eroded the government’s credibility and sparked strong public dissatisfaction.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, social-commentary

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 反腐败斗争是党中央长期坚持的重要政治任务。(The anti-corruption struggle is an important political task that the Party Central Committee has long upheld.)
• 这名官员因受贿腐败被依法判处十五年有期徒刑。(This official was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for accepting bribes and corruption.)

Don't Say

• 他的态度腐败 — 腐败 describes moral/political corruption or physical decay, not attitudes; use 消极 or 懒散 for negative attitudes

Origin & History

腐 (rotten/putrid) + 败 (decay/fail/defeat)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal