腐败 (fǔbài)

腐败 literally means to rot or decay (of organic matter), and figuratively refers to moral decay, corruption, and abuse of power for private gain. It is the standard term in political, social, and ethical discourse for corruption.

Meanings

[noun] corruption; bribery and abuse of power
[adjective] corrupt; rotten; morally decayed
[verb] to rot; to decay (literal); to become corrupt (figurative)

Example Sentences

打击腐败是中国政府近年来持续推进的重要政治议程。 Dǎjī fǔbài shì Zhōngguó zhèngfǔ jìn nián lái chíxù tuījìn de zhòngyào zhèngzhì yìchéng. Combating corruption is an important political agenda that the Chinese government has been continuously advancing in recent years.

腐败行为严重损害了政府的公信力，使民众对公共机构失去信任。 Fǔbài xíngwéi yánzhòng sǔnhàile zhèngfǔ de gōng xìnlì, shǐ mínzhòng duì gōnggòng jīgòu shīqù xìnrèn. Corrupt behaviour seriously damages the government's credibility and causes the public to lose trust in public institutions.

透明度和问责制是预防腐败最有效的制度性保障。 Tòumíngdù hé wènzé zhì shì yùfáng fǔbài zuì yǒuxiào de zhìdù xìng bǎozhàng. Transparency and accountability are the most effective institutional safeguards for preventing corruption.

这名官员因腐败被查处，面临多年的有期徒刑。 Zhè míng guānyuán yīn fǔbài bèi chá chǔ, miànlín duō nián de yǒuqī túxíng. This official was investigated and prosecuted for corruption and faces several years of imprisonment.

反腐败斗争不仅是法律问题，更是社会道德建设的重要组成部分。 Fǎn fǔbài dòuzhēng bùjǐn shì fǎlǜ wèntí, gèng shì shèhuì dàodé jiànshè de zhòngyào zǔchéng bùfèn. The fight against corruption is not only a legal matter but also an important component of building social morality.

食物在高温潮湿的环境中容易腐败变质，必须妥善储存。 Shíwù zài gāowēn cháoshī de huánjìng zhōng róngyì fǔbài biànzhì, bìxū tuǒshàn chǔcún. Food easily rots and spoils in hot and humid environments and must be stored properly.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
打击腐败	to combat/crack down on corruption
反腐败	anti-corruption
腐败行为	corrupt act/behaviour
腐败问题	corruption problem
政治腐败	political corruption
腐败案件	corruption case

Usage Notes

腐败 covers both the literal sense (rotting food) and the dominant figurative sense (political/moral corruption). In modern Chinese discourse the figurative sense is by far the more common. 反腐败 (anti-corruption) and 打击腐败 (combat corruption) are standard phrases in news and official language.

腐败 as a noun often appears without a verb: 腐败现象 (corruption phenomenon/issue), 腐败案件 (corruption case). As an adjective it directly modifies nouns: 腐败官员 (corrupt official), 腐败制度 (corrupt system).

Memory Hook

腐 (rotten -- like decaying meat) + 败 (defeat/failure/decay) -- something so rotten it has already decayed into defeat; the rot of corruption.