Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 腐化 | fǔhuà |
| 腐壞 / 腐坏 | fǔhuài |
| 腐爛 / 腐烂 | fǔlàn |
In Chinese, the choice of word depends on whether you are describing physical decomposition, moral decline or the deterioration of a system. While terms like 腐爛 focus on organic matter, others like 腐化 are used metaphorically to describe moral or political corruption.
What does it mean word for word?
All these terms share the semantic root character 腐 (fǔ), which means rotten or decayed.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on whether the decay is physical or metaphorical. 腐爛 is the most common term for the physical decomposition of organic matter, such as food or plants. 腐化 is used metaphorically to describe moral or political corruption rather than physical processes. 腐壞 is a versatile term that can refer to both physical decay and the deterioration of quality or systems.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Taiwan, the expression 烂掉 is commonly used to convey the idea of something being rotten or spoiled.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
fǔhuà
Did you know?
- The character 腐 (fǔ) is used to describe 'tofu' (豆腐), because the word literally means 'rotten beans'.
- In some contexts, 腐 (fǔ) is used as a prefix to describe people with an obsession with 'boy love' or homoerotic fiction, known as 腐女 (fǔnǚ).
- In a restaurant setting, if you say food is 烂 (làn), you might actually be complimenting a dish for being 'tender' or 'soft' rather than complaining that it is rotten.
Examples in context
- 这个苹果已经腐烂了。(zhège píngguǒ yǐjīng fǔlàn le.)This apple has already rotted.
- 这座古老的建筑已经腐朽了。(zhè zuò gǔlǎo de jiànzhú yǐjīng fǔxiǔ le.)This ancient building has already rotted.
- 这块木头看起来很烂。(zhè kuài mùtou kànqǐlái hěn làn.)This piece of wood looks very rotten.
- 我们的食物都烂掉了。(wǒmen de shíwù dōu làn diào le.)Our food has all gone bad.
- 这些食物都腐败了。(zhèxiē shíwù dōu fǔbài le.)All of this food has become rotten.
- 这个苹果烂掉了。(zhège píngguǒ làn diào le.)This apple is rotten.
Example conversation
Junjie and Jiayi are cleaning the garden together.
- 俊杰 Junjie佳怡，你看这些树根腐化了。Jiāyí, nǐ kàn zhèxiē shùgēn fǔhuà le.Jiayi, look, these tree roots have rotted.
- 佳怡 Jiayi是因为最近雨水太多了吧。Shì yīnwèi zuìjìn yǔshuǐ tài duō le ba.It's probably because there was too much rain recently.
- 俊杰 Junjie我们要把腐化的部分清理掉。Wǒmen yào bǎ fǔhuà de bùfèn qīnglǐ diào.We need to clear away the rotted parts.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，我现在去拿剪刀。Hǎo de, wǒ xiànzài qù ná jiǎndāo.Okay, I'll go get the shears now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
