腐败 fǔbài corruption
corruption; to corrupt; to rot; rotten
How to remember 腐败: 腐 to spoil + 败 failure = corruption.
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How it is used
- Corruption - abuse of power for private gain - 反腐败 (fǎn fǔbài) anti-corruption, 贪污腐败 (tānwū fǔbài) graft and corruption.
- The go-to political word for institutional corruption; contrast 腐烂 (physical rot).
- Can also literally mean food spoiling, but in the news it overwhelmingly means graft.