also: どんかんおり
corrupt government official
A yojijukugo referring to officials who abuse their position for personal gain, often through bribery or embezzlement. Used in formal or critical contexts.
The politician was accused of being a corrupt official.
歴史には多くの貪官汚吏が登場する。
Many corrupt officials appear in history.
汚職 refers to corruption in general, while 貪官汚吏 specifically denotes a corrupt official.
悪徳官僚 is a more modern and direct term for a corrupt bureaucrat, whereas 貪官汚吏 is a classical yojijukugo with a literary feel.
Standard kanji form for this yojijukugo.
Alternate reading; less common than たんかんおり.
A yojijukugo composed of 貪 (greedy), 官 (official), 汚 (dirty/corrupt), and 吏 (official). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it follows a common four-character pattern for describing corrupt governance.