腐 (fǔ) — rotten, putrid, decayed (physical); corrupt, degenerate (moral)
Definition
Bound morpheme meaning 'rotten' (physical decay) or 'corrupt' (moral). Almost never stands alone — it attaches as a prefix to form words like 腐败, 腐化, 腐烂.
bound form
rottenputriddecayed (physical)corruptdegenerate (moral)
Easily confused
- 父fǔsound-alike(bound form, literary) old man, elder (in respectful compounds)
- 府fǔsound-alike(bound form) seat of government; government office
- 辅fǔsound-alike(bound form) to assist, to aid, to complement
- 斧fǔsound-alikeax, hatchet (bound form, used in compounds)
- 抚fǔsound-aliketo stroke or touch gently (with the hand)
- 俯fǔsound-aliketo lower (one's head); to bow
Examples
- ，。Zhè zhǒng shí wù yǐ jīng fǔ làn le, bù néng chī le.This kind of food has already rotted; it can't be eaten.
- 。Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài dǎ jī fǔ bài xíng wéi.The government is cracking down on corrupt behavior.
- 。Zhè ge gōng sī de wén huà yǐ jīng fǔ huà le.This company's culture has become corrupt.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
腐 is built from 肉, meaning flesh or body, and 府, pronounced fǔ, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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