📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a situation where bribery and corruption are carried out openly and without any concealment. It is synonymous with 贿赂公行 and indicates severe moral decay in government or society. The phrase conveys that giving and accepting bribes has become so rampant that it is treated as normal public conduct.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom 货贿公行 is a variant of the more commonly seen 贿赂公行, with 货 (goods) and 贿 (bribery) referring to the exchange of wealth for illicit favors. Historical texts across multiple dynasties used this phrase to condemn periods when officials traded power for money with no regard for law or propriety. It frequently appeared in critiques of late-dynasty corruption, where the breakdown of oversight allowed bribery to flourish in broad daylight. The expression underscores a society in which ethical and institutional guardrails have collapsed entirely.
💡 Example Usage
当时官场黑暗，货贿公行，政治日益败坏。
At that time the officialdom was dark, bribery was practiced openly, and politics deteriorated by the day.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 货贿公行
- Pinyin: huò huì gōng xíng
- Literal Translation: goods, bribery, publicly, practiced
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4