====== shòu huì: 受贿 - To Accept/Receive a Bribe, Bribery ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** shou hui meaning, shou hui Chinese, 受贿 meaning, accept a bribe in Chinese, Chinese word for bribery, corruption in Chinese, 行贿 vs 受贿, Chinese legal terms, HSK 6 vocabulary.
  * **Summary:** Learn the crucial Chinese legal term **shòu huì (受贿)**, which means "to accept a bribe" or the act of bribery from the receiver's perspective. This page breaks down the characters, explains its immense cultural and political significance in modern China's anti-corruption campaigns, and provides clear example sentences. Understand the critical difference between receiving a bribe (受贿) and giving a bribe (行贿) to avoid common mistakes.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shòu huì
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
  * **Concise Definition:** To illegally accept money or other valuables in exchange for abusing one's official power or position.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **受贿 (shòu huì)** literally translates to "receive a bribe." It is a formal and serious term used almost exclusively in legal and political contexts to describe the crime of a person in a position of power (usually a government official) accepting a bribe. The focus is entirely on the person *taking* the illicit payment or gift, not the person giving it. Think of it as the legal charge leveled against a corrupt official.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **受 (shòu):** This character means "to receive," "to accept," or "to be subjected to." It depicts one hand (爪) passing an object to another hand (又) under a roof (宀), illustrating the act of reception or transfer.
  * **贿 (huì):** This character means "bribe." It is composed of the radical 贝 (bèi), which originally meant "cowrie shell" and now represents money, valuables, or wealth, and the phonetic component 有 (yǒu), meaning "to have." Together, they signify valuables used for an illicit purpose.
  * When combined, **受贿 (shòu huì)** forms a direct and unambiguous meaning: to receive (受) a bribe (贿).
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * **受贿 (shòu huì)** is a cornerstone term in understanding modern Chinese politics and society, particularly in the context of the government's widespread anti-corruption campaigns (反腐运动 fǎnfǔ yùndòng). Since 2012, terms like "打老虎" (dǎ lǎohǔ - "swatting tigers," targeting high-level officials) have become common, and the specific crime is almost always **受贿** or its close relative, **贪污 (tānwū)**, embezzlement.
  * The term is constantly featured in state news media when reporting on the investigation and prosecution of officials, reinforcing the government's official stance on zero tolerance for corruption.
  * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** In English, the word "bribery" is a general term that can describe the act of both giving and receiving. Chinese is much more specific. **受贿 (shòu huì)** is strictly for the person *accepting* the bribe. The act of *offering* a bribe is called **[[行贿]] (xínghuì)**. This legal and linguistic distinction places a heavy emphasis on the abuse of public trust by the official. While both acts are illegal, the cultural and political focus is often on punishing the one who **受贿**, as they have betrayed their duty to the public.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Formality & Connotation:** **受贿 (shòu huì)** is a highly formal and legalistic term with a severely negative connotation. It is not used in casual conversation to describe minor exchanges of favors. Using it for a small, informal situation (e.g., "He bribed me with a coffee") would sound absurd and overly dramatic.
  * **Primary Contexts:**
    * **News and Media:** You will see this word constantly in news headlines and articles about government officials being investigated for corruption.
    * **Legal System:** It is a specific criminal charge defined in China's Criminal Law. An official can be formally charged with "受贿罪" (shòuhuìzuì - the crime of accepting bribes).
    * **Formal Discussions:** It is used in academic, political, and business discussions about governance, ethics, and the rule of law.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 这位官员因涉嫌**受贿**正在接受调查。
    * Pinyin: Zhè wèi guānyuán yīn shèxián **shòu huì** zhèngzài jiēshòu diàochá.
    * English: This official is under investigation on suspicion of accepting bribes.
    * Analysis: A very common and standard sentence you would read in a Chinese news report. "涉嫌" (shèxián) means "to be suspected of."
  * **Example 2:**
    * 法院最终认定他**受贿**金额高达五百万元。
    * Pinyin: Fǎyuàn zuìzhōng rèndìng tā **shòu huì** jīn'é gāodá wǔbǎi wàn yuán.
    * English: The court ultimately determined that the amount he accepted in bribes was as high as five million yuan.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the legal context. "认定" (rèndìng) is a formal verb for "to determine" or "to recognize as fact" in a legal setting.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 在中国，行贿和**受贿**都属于严重的刑事犯罪。
    * Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, xínghuì hé **shòu huì** dōu shǔyú yánzhòng de xíngshì fànzuì.
    * English: In China, both offering a bribe and accepting a bribe are considered serious criminal offenses.
    * Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts the two key terms, highlighting that both sides of the transaction are illegal.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 他利用职务之便，多次**受贿**，为他人谋取利益。
    * Pinyin: Tā lìyòng zhíwù zhī biàn, duōcì **shòu huì**, wèi tārén móuqǔ lìyì.
    * English: He used the convenience of his position to accept bribes on multiple occasions and seek benefits for others.
    * Analysis: "利用职务之便" (lìyòng zhíwù zhī biàn) is a set phrase meaning "to abuse one's power/position," which is the core condition for the crime of **受贿**.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 政府加强了对公务员**受贿**行为的打击力度。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ jiāqiáng le duì gōngwùyuán **shòu huì** xíngwéi de dǎjī lìdù.
    * English: The government has strengthened the intensity of its crackdown on bribe-taking behavior by civil servants.
    * Analysis: This sentence illustrates the term's use in the context of policy and government action.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 任何形式的**受贿**都是对公共信任的背叛。
    * Pinyin: Rènhé xíngshì de **shòu huì** dōu shì duì gōnggòng xìnrèn de bèipàn.
    * English: Any form of bribe-taking is a betrayal of public trust.
    * Analysis: This sentence speaks to the moral and ethical dimension of the act, not just the legal one.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 他因害怕被发现，拒绝了那笔巨额的**受贿**款。
    * Pinyin: Tā yīn hàipà bèi fāxiàn, jùjué le nà bǐ jù'é de **shòu huì** kuǎn.
    * English: Fearing discovery, he rejected that huge bribe payment.
    * Analysis: This shows **受贿** can be used as an adjective to modify a noun, like "bribe money" (**受贿**款).
  * **Example 8:**
    * 证据显示，他在项目审批过程中存在**受贿**问题。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngjù xiǎnshì, tā zài xiàngmù shěnpī guòchéng zhōng cúnzài **shòu huì** wèntí.
    * English: The evidence indicates that he had issues with accepting bribes during the project approval process.
    * Analysis: "存在...问题" (cúnzài...wèntí) is a slightly more indirect, formal way to state that someone engaged in improper behavior.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 作为公司的采购经理，他坚决抵制任何**受贿**的企图。
    * Pinyin: Zuòwéi gōngsī de cǎigòu jīnglǐ, tā jiānjué dǐzhì rènhé **shòu huì** de qìtú.
    * English: As the company's purchasing manager, he resolutely resists any attempt at bribery.
    * Analysis: This example moves the context from government to business, where accepting kickbacks or bribes is also a serious offense.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 那名裁判因为**受贿**操纵比赛结果而被终身禁赛。
    * Pinyin: Nà míng cáipàn yīnwèi **shòu huì** cāozòng bǐsài jiéguǒ ér bèi zhōngshēn jìnsài.
    * English: That referee was banned for life for accepting bribes to manipulate the match's outcome.
    * Analysis: Shows the term's applicability outside of government, such as in sports.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Giver vs. Receiver (The Biggest Mistake):** This cannot be stressed enough. English speakers often use "bribe" universally. In Chinese, you must distinguish between the giver and the receiver.
    * **受贿 (shòu huì):** To RECEIVE a bribe. (Focus is on the official/person in power).
    * **[[行贿]] (xínghuì):** To GIVE a bribe. (Focus is on the person trying to gain favor).
    * **Incorrect Usage:** `他受贿了那个官员。(Tā shòuhuì le nàge guānyuán.)`
    * **Why it's wrong:** This sentence is grammatically and logically incorrect. It tries to say "He *received a bribe to* that official," which makes no sense. The correct way to say "He bribed that official" is `他向那个官员行贿了。(Tā xiàng nàge guānyuán xínghuì le.)`
  * **Overuse in Casual Contexts:** Do not use **受贿** to describe informal exchanges. If your friend buys you lunch so you'll help them move, this is not **受贿**. It's a serious criminal accusation.
    * **Incorrect Usage:** `你请我喝咖啡是想贿赂我吗？(Nǐ qǐng wǒ hē kāfēi shì xiǎng huìlù wǒ ma?)` - Even using the general term `贿赂` (bribe) here is often a joke. Using **受贿** would be completely out of place.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[行贿]] (xínghuì):** The direct counterpart to **受贿**; the act of offering or giving a bribe.
  * **[[贪污]] (tānwū):** To embezzle; corruption involving the theft or misuse of public funds directly. This is often coupled with **受贿** as a charge against a corrupt official.
  * **[[腐败]] (fǔbài):** The general, abstract noun for "corruption." **受贿** is a specific type of **腐败**.
  * **[[贿赂]] (huìlù):** Can be a noun ("a bribe") or a more general verb ("to bribe"), but **行贿** and **受贿** are more specific about the direction of the action.
  * **[[回扣]] (huíkòu):** A kickback; a commission (often illicit) paid back to someone who facilitates a transaction. A common form of **受贿** in business.
  * **[[以权谋私]] (yǐ quán móu sī):** A very common idiom meaning "to use one's power for personal gain." **受贿** is a classic example of this behavior.
  * **[[廉洁]] (liánjié):** The direct antonym concept; to be honest, clean, and incorruptible. A quality expected of public officials.
  * **[[渎职]] (dúzhí):** Dereliction of duty; neglect of one's official responsibilities. It is another crime officials can be charged with, sometimes related to corruption cases.