fǔbài: 腐败 - Corruption, Decay, Rotten

• Keywords: fǔbài, 腐败, fǔbài meaning, Chinese for corruption, government corruption in China, anti-corruption, fǔbài examples, fuba, fu bai, Chinese politics, rotten in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese word 腐败 (fǔbài), which means both literal “decay” (like rotten food) and, more importantly, figurative “corruption” and moral rot. This term is central to understanding modern Chinese politics, news, and social commentary, especially in the context of the government's famous anti-corruption (反腐 fǎnfǔ) campaigns. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural weight, and practical use with over 10 real-world examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fǔ bài
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To be corrupt or rotten; corruption; decay.
• In a Nutshell: At its simplest, `腐败` is what happens to an apple left out for too long—it rots. However, its most powerful and common use is figurative. It describes the moral decay of people, institutions, or society itself. In modern China, `腐败` is almost synonymous with government corruption: officials abusing their power for personal gain. It's a word loaded with strong negative judgment and is a cornerstone of political discourse.

• 腐 (fǔ): This character is a combination of 府 (fǔ), an ancient word for a government office or official mansion, and 肉 (ròu), meaning “meat.” The image created is of meat left to rot in a storehouse. Therefore, `腐` on its own means to rot, decay, or spoil.
• 败 (bài): This character combines 贝 (bèi), which originally meant “cowrie shell” and now represents money or valuables, and 攴 (pū), a pictograph of a hand with a stick, meaning “to strike” or “to tap.” The combined image suggests the destruction of wealth or value. It means to be defeated, to fail, or to ruin.
• How they combine: The two characters create a vivid and powerful term. 腐 (rot) + 败 (ruin) = 腐败 (fǔbài). This paints a picture of something that is not just spoiled but utterly ruined by its decay, perfectly capturing the sense of moral collapse and systemic failure associated with corruption.

`腐败` is more than just a word in China; it's a profound cultural and political concern with deep historical roots. Throughout Chinese history, the legitimacy of a ruling dynasty was often tied to its ability to govern justly and without corruption. A government plagued by `腐败` was seen as having lost the “Mandate of Heaven” (天命, Tiānmìng), signaling that its downfall was near. This historical narrative gives the term immense weight today. In modern China, the term is at the forefront of national consciousness due to the government's high-profile and long-running anti-corruption campaign (反腐败斗争, fǎnfǔbài dòuzhēng), often shortened to 反腐 (fǎnfǔ). This campaign, famously summarized by the slogan “swat tigers and swat flies” (打老虎拍苍蝇), targets both high-level and low-level officials. Consequently, `腐败` is a constant topic in state media, official speeches, and public discussion.

• Comparison to “Corruption” in the West: While the English word “corruption” is a direct translation, the cultural resonance is different. In many Western countries, corruption is often viewed as a crime committed by individuals who break the law—a failure of a person. In China, `腐败` is often framed as a systemic threat to the entire political order and the legitimacy of the ruling party. It's seen less as a simple crime and more as a cancer that can destroy the body politic, making the fight against it an existential issue for the state.

`腐败` is used in both formal and informal contexts, but almost always with a serious and negative tone.

• In the News and Politics: This is its most common usage. News reports constantly mention officials being investigated for `腐败` issues or the government's progress in fighting corruption.
• In Everyday Conversation: People might use `腐败` to complain about perceived unfairness where someone has used their power or connections for personal benefit. For example, if someone gets a job not because of merit but because their uncle is the manager, a bystander might mutter, “太腐败了!” (Tài fǔbài le! - So corrupt!).
• Describing a Lifestyle: It can be used to describe a decadent, wasteful, and morally questionable lifestyle, often associated with ill-gotten wealth. For example, `生活腐败` (shēnghuó fǔbài) means “to lead a decadent/corrupt life.”
• Literal Meaning: While less common in conversation, it is still the correct word for food or other organic matter that has gone rotten.

• Example 1:
  • 这个苹果已经腐败了，不能吃了。
  • Pīnyīn: Zhège píngguǒ yǐjīng fǔbài le, bùnéng chī le.
  • English: This apple is already rotten, you can't eat it.
  • Analysis: This is the most literal use of `腐败`. It simply means “rotten” or “decayed.” Notice the use of `已经 (yǐjīng)…了 (le)` to indicate a completed change of state.
• Example 2:
  • 我们必须坚决反对腐败。
  • Pīnyīn: Wǒmen bìxū jiānjué fǎnduì fǔbài.
  • English: We must resolutely oppose corruption.
  • Analysis: This is a very common and formal phrase used in political contexts. `坚决 (jiānjué)` means “firmly” or “resolutely,” emphasizing the seriousness of the fight against corruption.
• Example 3:
  • 他因为腐败问题被撤职了。
  • Pīnyīn: Tā yīnwèi fǔbài wèntí bèi chèzhí le.
  • English: He was removed from his post because of corruption issues.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you would read in the news. `因为 (yīnwèi)…` introduces the reason. `被 (bèi)` indicates the passive voice, showing something was done *to* him.
• Example 4:
  • 腐败是社会的一大公害。
  • Pīnyīn: Fǔbài shì shèhuì de yī dà gōnghài.
  • English: Corruption is a major public scourge of society.
  • Analysis: This sentence treats `腐败` as a noun and a concept. `公害 (gōnghài)` means “public nuisance” or “scourge,” a very strong term.
• Example 5:
  • 绝对的权力导致绝对的腐败。
  • Pīnyīn: Juéduì de quánlì dǎozhì juéduì de fǔbài.
  • English: Absolute power leads to absolute corruption.
  • Analysis: This is a direct translation of the famous quote by Lord Acton. It shows how `腐败` fits perfectly into this universal political maxim. `导致 (dǎozhì)` means “to lead to” or “to result in.”
• Example 6:
  • 这位官员的生活非常腐败。
  • Pīnyīn: Zhè wèi guānyuán de shēnghuó fēicháng fǔbài.
  • English: This official's lifestyle is extremely decadent/corrupt.
  • Analysis: Here, `腐败` is used as an adjective to describe a lifestyle (`生活`). It implies not just luxury but moral depravity and wastefulness.
• Example 7:
  • 反腐败斗争取得了重要成果。
  • Pīnyīn: Fǎn fǔbài dòuzhēng qǔdéle zhòngyào chéngguǒ.
  • English: The anti-corruption struggle has achieved important results.
  • Analysis: A formal sentence from an official report. `反腐败 (fǎnfǔbài)` means “anti-corruption.” `斗争 (dòuzhēng)` means “struggle,” and `取得了成果 (qǔdéle chéngguǒ)` means “achieved results.”
• Example 8:
  • 如果一个系统缺乏监督，就很容易变得腐败。
  • Pīnyīn: Rúguǒ yīgè xìtǒng quēfá jiāndū, jiù hěn róngyì biànde fǔbài.
  • English: If a system lacks oversight, it very easily becomes corrupt.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `腐败` to describe a system, not just a person. `变得 (biànde)` means “to become,” showing the process of decay.
• Example 9:
  • 人们对腐败现象深恶痛绝。
  • Pīnyīn: Rénmen duì fǔbài xiànxiàng shēnwùtòngjué.
  • English: People loathe the phenomenon of corruption.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the public's strong emotional reaction. `深恶痛绝 (shēnwùtòngjué)` is a powerful idiom meaning “to hate bitterly” or “to loathe.”
• Example 10:
  • 这家公司的管理层从上到下都腐败了。
  • Pīnyīn: Zhè jiā gōngsī de guǎnlǐcéng cóng shàng dào xià dōu fǔbài le.
  • English: This company's management is corrupt from top to bottom.
  • Analysis: A strong accusation of systemic corruption within an organization. The structure `从…到… (cóng…dào…)` is used to mean “from… to…”

• Literal vs. Figurative is Key: The most common mistake for a learner is to underestimate the figurative meaning. While `腐败` *can* mean “rotten food,” 95% of the time you hear or read it, it will be about political or moral corruption. Context is everything.
• `腐败` vs. `坏 (huài)`: Do not use `腐败` for things that are simply broken. A broken phone is `手机坏了 (shǒujī huài le)`, not `手机腐败了`. `坏 (huài)` means “bad,” “broken,” or “spoiled,” and is a general-purpose negative word. `腐败` specifically implies a process of organic or moral decay and rot.
• “Decadent” is not a perfect match: While `腐败的生活 (fǔbài de shēnghuó)` can be translated as a “decadent lifestyle,” the English “decadent” can sometimes have a playful or glamorous feel (e.g., “a decadent chocolate cake”). `腐败` is always seriously negative and implies moral failing. There is nothing glamorous about it.

• 贪污 (tānwū) - Embezzlement; graft. A more specific crime that falls under the umbrella of `腐败`. It refers to illegally taking money or assets entrusted to you.
• 贿赂 (huìlù) - Bribery; to bribe. A specific action and method of corruption.
• 反腐 (fǎnfǔ) - Anti-corruption. The common, shortened term for the fight against `腐败`, used constantly in the media.
• 清廉 (qīnglián) - Honest and upright (typically for an official); uncorrupted. The direct antonym of `腐败`.
• 以权谋私 (yǐ quán móu sī) - An idiom meaning “to use power for personal gain.” This is the very definition of what a `腐败` official does.
• 滥用职权 (lànyòng zhíquán) - Abuse of power. A formal/legal term describing a key aspect of corrupt behavior.
• 官僚主义 (guānliáo zhǔyì) - Bureaucratism. The phenomenon of an overly complex, inefficient, and unresponsive bureaucracy, which is often seen as a breeding ground for `腐败`.
• 打老虎拍苍蝇 (dǎ lǎohǔ pāi cāngying) - “To hit tigers and swat flies.” The famous political slogan for the anti-corruption campaign, meaning to target both high-level officials (“tigers”) and low-level ones (“flies”).