腐 (fǔ) - rotten, decayed, spoiled & tofu

腐Tone 3

fǔ ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

腐 · fǔ

rotten, decayed, spoiled;

tofu;

corrupt (as in corruption);

refers to things that are decomposed or morally degenerate.

rotten, decayed, spoiledtofucorrupt (as in corruption)

Usage highlights

corruptionrottendecadenttofubureaucratcorrupt official

Synonyms

  • 烂— rotten, spoiled
  • 朽— decayed, rotten (especially wood)
  • 败— decay, ruin (as in 腐败)

Antonyms

  • 鲜— fresh (opposite of rotten)
  • 新— new (opposite of decayed)
  • 廉— incorruptible, honest (opposite of corrupt)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The fruit has gone bad (水果腐烂了).
  • Tofu is a common ingredient (豆腐).
  • The wood was rotten (木头腐朽了).
  • He was accused of corruption (腐败).

Collocations

  • corruption(腐败)
  • rotten(腐烂)
  • decadent(腐朽)
  • tofu(豆腐)
  • bureaucrat(腐儒)
  • corrupt official(贪官污吏)

Idioms

  • Rotten wood cannot be carved(朽木不可雕)
  • Flow with the corrupt and be defiled(同流合污)
  • Corrupt and rotten to the core(腐败透顶)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 'decay' or 'rot' is associated with imbalance and poor health.
  • Tofu (豆腐) is a staple food with a long history in Chinese cuisine.
  • The character is strongly associated with moral decay and bureaucratic corruption in political discourse.

FAQ