营私 (yíngsī): to engage in graft

Meanings

1 to engage in graft
2 to feather one's own nest
3 to seek private gain through corrupt means

Characters

营

private / self-interest

Examples

他利用职权营私，最终被开除。

Tā lìyòng zhíquán yíngsī, zuìzhōng bèi kāichú.

He used his position to feather his own nest and was eventually fired.

公职人员不得营私舞弊。

Gōngzhí rényuán bùdé yíngsī wǔbì.

Public officials must not engage in graft and corruption.

Tips

usage

Almost always paired with 舞弊 (wǔbì, fraud) in the four-character set phrase 营私舞弊 (yíngsī wǔbì, graft and fraud) — a stock term in anti-corruption news and disciplinary documents. Standalone 营私 is rare. 营 (yíng) here means "to scheme/operate for," not "camp" or "business."