贪污

tānwū · HSK 7

corrupt

💰🐀 贪 greed + 污 filth = a greedy official with dirty hands taking bribes

贪 — 今 (jīn, phonetic) + 貝 (shell/money)
贪 is a phono-semantic compound. The bottom 貝 (shell) signals meaning, since cowrie shells were ancient money, hinting at greed for wealth. The top 今 supplies the sound. The character originally meant coveting riches and broadened to mean greedy or craving in general.

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