decline of public morals; moral decay
Formal term for the deterioration of societal moral standards; often used in social commentary or news.
In recent years, the decline of public morals has been seen as a problem.
The incident was regarded as a symbol of moral decay.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant using 頽 (rare character) instead of 退; rarely used.
Compound of 風紀 (public morals) and 退廃 (decline, decadence). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in modern formal contexts.