受贿
shoù huì · HSK 7
to accept a bribe
💰🤝 受 = accept/receive + 贿 = bribe; the 贝 (shell/money) radical in 贿 marks it as cash-related
受 means to receive or accept, and 贿 means a bribe. The left side of 贿 is 贝, the shell radical that ancient China used for money, so 贿 flags a dirty payment. Together: accepting the dirty payment = taking a bribe.
受 — hand 爫 (top) + 冖 + hand 又 (bottom)
Originally a pictograph showing two hands passing an object (the middle 冖 represented a boat or tray) between them. It depicted the act of giving and receiving, so the character meant both 'to give' and 'to receive.' Later 授 was created with the hand radical 扌 to mean 'give,' leaving 受 to mean 'receive' or 'accept.'