mou5 bai6舞弊
Jyutpingmou5 bai6
Yalemóuh baih
Definition
To act corruptly, fraudulently, or engage in malpractice for personal gain.
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How it's used
舞弊 is a formal, legalistic term primarily used in news reports, official investigations, or academic discussions regarding ethics. It carries a heavy weight of professional misconduct or systemic corruption rather than petty theft. While it implies dishonesty, it specifically focuses on the manipulation of rules or processes to gain an unfair advantage.
Examples
He engaged in corrupt practices at the company and was eventually fired.
Do you know how he committed fraud in the election?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for general stealing or lying, but it is strictly reserved for institutional or procedural corruption. Using it to describe a child cheating on a homework assignment or someone stealing a snack would sound absurdly dramatic and unnatural.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.



