贪官污吏 tān guān wū lì Corrupt officials

Explanation

贪官污吏指的是贪污受贿，行为不正的官员。他们利用职权谋取私利，损害国家和人民的利益。

Corrupt officials refer to officials who embezzle and take bribes and behave improperly. They use their power to seek personal gain, harming the interests of the state and the people.

Origin Story

话说清朝某年，有个贪官污吏叫李诚，他鱼肉乡里，欺压百姓，搜刮民脂民膏，富得流油。他家奴仆成群，绫罗绸缎堆积如山，而百姓却衣不蔽体，食不果腹。一日，李诚微服私访，来到一个贫寒的村庄。他看到一个老农正在田里辛苦劳作，便上前询问。老农告诉他，收成不好，今年日子更难熬了。李诚听了，假惺惺地安慰了老农几句，便赏了他几个铜板就走了。可没过几天，李诚的差役又来到老农家，索要高额的赋税。老农无奈，只好变卖家中仅有的家当。李诚的所作所为激怒了上天，一场大旱灾席卷了整个地区，百姓颗粒无收，民不聊生。最终，李诚的恶行败露，被朝廷处以极刑。

huà shuō qīng cháo mǒu nián, yǒu gè tān guān wū lì jiào lǐ chéng, tā yú ròu xiāng lǐ, qī yā bǎixìng, sōu guā mín zhī mín gāo, fù de liú yóu. tā jiā nú pǔ chéng qún, líng luó chóu duàn duī jī rú shān, ér bǎixìng què yī bù bì tǐ, shí bù guǒ fù. yī rì, lǐ chéng wēi fú sī fǎng, lái dào yīgè pín hán de cūn zhuāng. tā kàn dào yīgè lǎo nóng zhèng zài tián lǐ xīn kǔ láo zuò, biàn shàng qián xún wèn. lǎo nóng gào sù tā, shōu chéng bù hǎo, jīnnián rì zi gèng nán áo le. lǐ chéng tīng le, jiǎ xīng xīng de ān wèi le lǎo nóng jǐ jù, biàn shǎng le tā jǐ gè tóng bǎn jiù zǒu le. kě méi guò jǐ tiān, lǐ chéng de chāi yì yòu lái dào lǎo nóng jiā, suǒ yào gāo é de fù shuì. lǎo nóng wú nài, zhǐ hǎo biàn mài jiā zhōng jǐn yǒu de jiā dàng. lǐ chéng de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi jī nù le shàng tiān, yī chǎng dà hàn zāi xí juǎn le zhěng gè dì qū, bǎixìng kē lì wú shōu, mín bù liáo shēng. zuì zhōng, lǐ chéng de è xíng bài lù, bèi cháoting chǔ yǐ jí xíng.

In a certain year during the Qing Dynasty, there was a corrupt official named Li Cheng, who oppressed the people, extorted taxes, and became immensely rich. His house was filled with servants, silks, and fabrics, while the people starved and were poorly clothed. One day, Li Cheng visited a poor village in disguise. He saw an old farmer working hard in the field and questioned him. The farmer told him that the harvest was poor and life was even harder this year. Li Cheng hypocritically comforted the farmer and gave him a few coins. But a few days later, Li Cheng's officers came to the farmer again and demanded high taxes. The farmer had no choice and had to sell his belongings. Li Cheng's actions angered heaven, and a great drought swept through the entire region. The people had nothing left to eat, and the people suffered. Finally, Li Cheng's evil deeds were discovered, and he was executed by the court.

Usage

常用于批评贪污腐败的官员，形容他们贪婪自私，不顾百姓死活。

cháng yòng yú pī píng tān wū fǔ bài de guān yuán, xíng róng tāmen tānlán zì sī, bù gù bǎixìng sǐ huó.

It is often used to criticize corrupt officials, describing their greed and selfishness, regardless of the lives of the people.

Examples

• 历史上有很多贪官污吏，他们为非作歹，最终受到了法律的制裁。

  lì shǐ shàng yǒu hěn duō tān guān wū lì, tāmen wèi fēi zuò dǎi, zuì zhōng shòu dào le fǎlǜ de zhì cái.

  History is full of corrupt officials who did evil and were eventually punished by law.

• 这个案件暴露了某些贪官污吏的丑恶嘴脸。

  zhège ànjiàn bàolù le mǒuxiē tān guān wū lì de chǒu è zuǐ liǎn

  This case exposed the ugly faces of some corrupt officials.

Related Idioms

• 奸臣

• 权贵

Opposite Idioms

• 清正廉洁