TongTong
Sign in

贿赂 (huì lù) — (verb) to bribe; (noun) a bribe

Definition

The formal/legal word for 'to bribe' (verb) and 'a bribe' (noun). Distinct from 受贿 ('to accept a bribe'); for the colloquial sense of passing cash in an envelope, see 红包.

verb
to bribe
noun
a bribe

Examples

  • 贿赂。
    Tā shì tú yòng jīn qián huì lù nà ge guān yuán.
    He tried to bribe that official with money.
  • 贿赂。
    Shōu shòu huì lù shì yán zhòng de fàn zuì xíng wéi.
    Accepting bribes is a serious criminal act.
  • 贿赂。
    Zhè ge àn jiàn shè jí jù é huì lù.
    This case involves huge bribes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

贿huìbribe
赂lùbribe

Both 贿 and 赂 refer to bribing or a bribe.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賄; 贿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
有
有yǒu賄huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賄 pairs 貝 (cowry; money) with 有 as the sound part; the simplified 贿 keeps 有 on the right.

Open 贿 →

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 賂; 赂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè賂lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賂 pairs 貝, a shell or money sign, with 各 to give the sound; the simplified 赂 is a later shorthand.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Crime & Police5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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