Meaning
To collude with someone to commit evil deeds.
Practice Bank
3 exercisesThe corrupt official was accused of ________ with organized crime figures.
The two companies were found to be ________ in price-fixing.
The phrase '狼狈为奸' (lángbèi wéijiān) refers to people who ________ to commit evil deeds.
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The idiom '狼狈为奸' (láng bèi wéi jiān) literally translates to 'wolves and badgers acting as accomplices.' This phrase has a vivid and ancient origin in Chinese culture, deeply rooted in observations of animal behavior and their symbolic meanings. The '狼' (láng) refers to a wolf, an animal historically perceived in Chinese culture as cunning, cruel, and predatory. Wolves are often associated with aggression, greed, and a lack of moral restraint. They hunt in packs, signifying their collective destructive power. The '狈' (bèi) is a mythical creature in Chinese folklore, often described as a type of badger or a limbless creature that relies on a wolf to move around. According to legend, the '狈' has very short front legs and cannot move independently. It must cling to a wolf's back, using the wolf's legs to travel. In return, the '狈' is said to have keen eyesight and intelligence, helping the wolf spot prey or plan ambushes. This symbiotic relationship, where one creature provides mobility and the other provides cunning, forms the core of the idiom's meaning. The phrase '为奸' (wéi jiān) means 'to commit evil' or 'to act as traitors/accomplices.' The character '奸' itself denotes treachery, wickedness, and illicit activities. Therefore, '狼狈为奸' paints a picture of two inherently malicious entities (the wolf and the badger) working together, leveraging each other's strengths (the wolf's physical power and the badger's cunning) to achieve a common, evil goal. It emphasizes the idea of conspiring or colluding for nefarious purposes, where each party contributes to the wrongdoing, making the collective act more formidable and harmful than if they acted alone. This idiom is often used to describe individuals or groups who conspire to commit illegal, immoral, or treacherous acts, highlighting their shared malevolent intent and mutual cooperation in wrongdoing. It's a powerful metaphor for corruption, conspiracy, and betrayal, and its roots in ancient animal fables make it particularly resonant in Chinese storytelling and moral instruction.
