About
The character 弊 combines 敝 (bì, "worn out") and 廾 (two hands). 敝, originally depicting a cloth being beaten, suggests something worn down, while 廾 shows two hands. Together they convey hands breaking something already deteriorated, with 敝 also providing the pronunciation. This gives the core meaning of something broken or ruined, extending to fraud, corruption, malpractice, and systemic abuse, as well as a disadvantage or inherent flaw (in contrast to benefit). The image of breaking down the degraded reinforces the idea of harmful practices, cheating, and institutional decay.
Example Sentences Hide
作弊对学习有害。
这个政策有弊端。
我们要消除弊病。
他指出了制度的弊害。
这种做法的弊大于利。
公司正在改革以革除弊端。
分析问题时需权衡利弊。
长期忽视这些弊病会导致严重后果。
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