腐敗

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 腐敗 is a noun and irregular intransitive verb read ふはい, covering physical decay and corruption within an organization or authority.
• Basic usage: 果物が腐敗する describes material decay, while 組織の腐敗 describes institutional corruption.
  • 冷蔵庫の外に置いた果物が腐敗し始めた。 describes fruit left outside the refrigerator beginning to rot; 組織の腐敗を告発する小説を読んだ。 describes reading a novel that exposes organizational corruption.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 腐敗し始める
  • 始める marks the onset of the decaying process.
• 組織の腐敗
  • This is institutional or moral corruption rather than physical decay.
• 腐敗を告発する
  • を marks the problem exposed by the novel.