沆瀣一气 (hàng xiè yī qì) — to collude; to be in cahoots (derogatory); to act in concert (for dishonest purposes)

Definition

A derogatory chengyu meaning 'to collude / act in cahoots,' always used for people doing something dishonest or corrupt together. Stronger and far more literary than everyday verbs like 合作 (hézuò).

idiom
to colludeto be in cahoots (derogatory)to act in concert (for dishonest purposes)

Examples

  • 沆瀣一气，。
    Zhè xiē tān guān hàng xiè yī qì, gòng tóng qīn tūn guó jiā cái chǎn.
    These corrupt officials colluded together to embezzle state property.
  • 沆瀣一气，。
    Tā men liǎng rén hàng xiè yī qì, hé huǒ qī yā bǎi xìng.
    Those two are in cahoots, jointly oppressing the people.
  • 沆瀣一气，。
    Nà jiā gōng sī yǔ jiān guǎn bù mén hàng xiè yī qì, táo bì jiǎn chá.
    That company colluded with the regulatory department to avoid inspection.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 沆 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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