徇私舞弊

xùnsī-wǔbì

idiom #95,259

Meanings

1 to abuse one's position for personal gain (idiom)
2 to engage in favoritism and fraud
3 corrupt self-dealing

Characters

to yield to; to comply with

private; personal interest

to manipulate; to play (with)

fraud; malpractice

Examples

HSK 6

公司严禁员工徇私舞弊。

Gōngsī yánjìn yuángōng xùnsīwǔbì.

The company strictly forbids employees from engaging in favoritism and fraud.

HSK 7-9

他因徇私舞弊被开除公职。

Tā yīn xùnsīwǔbì bèi kāichú gōngzhí.

He was dismissed from public office for corrupt self-dealing.

HSK 7-9

法官徇私舞弊，严重破坏了司法公正。

Fǎguān xùnsīwǔbì, yánzhòng pòhuài le sīfǎ gōngzhèng.

The judge abused his position for personal gain, seriously damaging judicial fairness.

Tips

history

Seen in Ming novel 《水浒全传》 ch.83: 贪滥无厌，徇私作弊 - insatiably greedy, giving in to favoritism and cheating. The wording solidified 徇私舞弊 as the formal term for corrupt abuse of office.

register

Legal/official register. Belongs in news reports, court language, and disciplinary notices - not casual complaints. Common pairing: 贪污腐败 (graft and corruption).

Stroke Order

徇 xùn

私 sī

舞 wǔ

弊 bì