Chinese word

伤风败俗

Pronunciation

Pinyinshāng fēng bài sú

Meaning

  • idiomcorrupt public morals

Example

那部戏伤风败俗，有些观众不满。nà bù xì shāng fēng bài sú yǒu xiē guān zhòng bù mǎn

That play corrupts public morals, and some audience members are unhappy.

Illustration for 伤风败俗 (corrupt public morals)

More examples

老师提醒学生不要发表伤风败俗的评论。lǎo shī tí xǐng xué shēng bú yào fā biǎo shāng fēng bài sú de píng lùn

The teacher reminded the students not to make comments that corrupt public morals.

Core concept

Behavior or a work treated as a stain on society's shared moral standards.

Common phrases

  • 伤风败俗的言论shāng fēng bài sú de yán lùn

    remarks that corrupt public morals

  • 伤风败俗的广告shāng fēng bài sú de guǎng gào

    advertisements that corrupt public morals

  • 伤风败俗的节目shāng fēng bài sú de jié mù

    programs that corrupt public morals

Similar words

有伤风化yǒu shāng fēng huà: Behavior or content judged improper and offensive to accepted social decency.
败坏风气bài huài fēng qì: Conduct or ideas that weaken good social habits and spread harmful ways of thinking.

Definition in Chinese

指违背公序良俗、败坏社会风尚的言行或作品。zhǐ wéi bèi gōng xù liáng sú bài huài shè huì fēng shàng de yán xíng huò zuò pǐn

Word origin

The idiom combines 伤 (shāng, "harm") and 败 (bài, "ruin") with 风俗 (fēngsú, "social customs"), presenting conduct or works as damaging the standards shared by society.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this is a strong judgment about social standards, not a casual way to say that something is merely rude, boring, or unconventional.

Other meanings

  • offend public decencyidiom

Opposites

  • 积极向上jī jí xiàng shàngpositive and upliftingidiom

Word lists with this word