贪赃枉法
tān zāng wǎng fǎ
to take bribes and pervert the law
Character by character
贪tān
covet
covet
赃zāng
bribes
bribes
枉wǎng
bend
bend
法fǎ
law
law
Example
这名法官贪赃枉法，收了原告的钱，就故意让被告输了官司。
The judge took bribes and twisted the law: paid by the plaintiff, he made sure the defendant lost.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
赃 (zāng) is money or goods obtained illegally and 枉 (wǎng) means to bend. The classic charge against corrupt magistrates in opera and novels; in modern writing it is kept for serious abuse by officials or judges.
Learn this in Lesson 197 · HSK 7–9: 监察委员会 (The supervision commissions)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →