TongTong
Sign in

腐烂 (fǔ làn) — (of organic matter) to rot, to decompose; (figurative, of institutions, society) corrupt, decadent

Definition

腐烂 (fǔlàn) is a formal/literary verb for organic matter rotting and decaying. For everyday 'rotten/spoiled food,' use 烂; for political or moral corruption, prefer 腐败 or 腐蚀.

(of organic matter) to rotto decompose(figurative, of institutions, society) corruptdecadent

Examples

  • 腐烂。
    Mù dì bǎn shòu cháo hòu hěn róng yì fǔ làn.
    Wooden floors can easily rot after getting damp.
  • 腐烂。
    Zhè ge zhèng quán de nèi bù yǐ jīng fǔ làn le.
    The inside of this regime has already become corrupt.
  • 腐烂，。
    Shù yè zài ní tǔ zhōng màn màn fǔ làn, biàn chéng yǎng fèn.
    Leaves slowly decompose in the soil and turn into nutrients.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

腐fǔrot
烂làndecay

'腐' (rot) and '烂' (decay) combine to mean rotting and becoming rotten.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròuflesh; body
Sound part声符shēngfú
府
府fǔ腐fǔ
Same sound today

腐 is built from 肉, meaning flesh or body, and 府, pronounced fǔ, which gives the sound.

Open 腐 →

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 爛; 烂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán爛làn
Same sound today

The form 爛 pairs 火 (fire) with 闌 as the sound part; this explains 爛, not the simplified 烂.

Open 烂 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Biology

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.