chǒuwén: 丑闻 - Scandal

• Keywords: chouwen, 丑闻, scandal in Chinese, Chinese scandal, meaning of chouwen, political scandal China, celebrity scandal China, corporate scandal, Chinese public disgrace
• Summary: Learn the meaning and cultural significance of “丑闻” (chǒuwén), the Chinese word for “scandal.” This comprehensive guide explores how to use the term for political, celebrity, or corporate scandals, provides numerous example sentences, and explains its deep connection to the cultural concept of “losing face” (丢脸). This is an essential term for understanding modern Chinese media and society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chǒuwén
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A publicly known incident that is considered morally or legally wrong and causes public outrage or disgrace.
• In a Nutshell: `丑闻` is the direct and most common translation for the English word “scandal.” It refers to shameful, disgraceful, or ugly events that have become public knowledge. The key elements are public exposure and the resulting damage to reputation. Think of political corruption, celebrity affairs, or corporate fraud that gets exposed in the news—these are all classic examples of `丑闻`.

• 丑 (chǒu): The primary meaning of this character is “ugly,” “shameful,” or “disgraceful.” While it's also the character for the Earthly Branch associated with the Ox in the Chinese zodiac, in this context, it purely carries the negative connotation of shamefulness.
• 闻 (wén): This character means “to hear,” “news,” or “a story that is heard.” It contains the radical for ear (耳), visually reinforcing the idea of something being heard.

When combined, `丑闻 (chǒuwén)` literally translates to “shameful news” or an “ugly story,” which perfectly captures the modern meaning of “scandal.”

While scandals are a universal phenomenon, the impact of a `丑闻` in Chinese culture is amplified by the concept of face (面子, miànzi). In Western cultures, a scandal primarily damages an individual's reputation. In China, the disgrace often extends to a collective. A `丑闻` causes a severe loss of face (丢脸, diūliǎn), not just for the person involved, but for their entire family, their company, or even their local community. The emphasis on social harmony and collective reputation means that public disgrace is a powerful social sanction. For example, a politician's corruption scandal brings shame upon their party and government, and a CEO's fraud scandal can tarnish the reputation of all employees. This collective consequence makes the fallout from a `丑闻` particularly devastating and is a key difference from the more individualistic focus of scandal in the West.

`丑闻` is a common term used across all forms of media and in daily conversation. Its connotation is always negative and it's used in both formal news reporting and informal gossip.

This is one of the most common uses, referring to corruption, abuse of power, or other illicit activities by government officials. `e.g., 这位官员因贪污而卷入了一场巨大的政治丑闻。` `(Zhè wèi guānyuán yīn tānwū ér juǎnrùle yí chǎng jùdà de zhèngzhì chǒuwén.)`

Extremely common on social media platforms like Weibo. This can refer to affairs, drug use, tax evasion, or any behavior that shatters a celebrity's public image. A romantic or sexual affair is often more specifically called a `绯闻 (fēiwén)`. `e.g., 那个明星的丑闻曝光后，他的所有代言都被取消了。` `(Nàge míngxīng de chǒuwén bàoguāng hòu, tā de suǒyǒu dàiyán dōu bèi qǔxiāole.)`

Refers to incidents like financial fraud, unsafe products, or environmental violations. `e.g., 这家公司因数据造假而面临严重的丑闻。` `(Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn shùjù zàojiǎ ér miànlín yánzhòng de chǒuwén.)`

• Example 1:
• 这位市长因为接受贿赂而深陷丑闻。
• Pinyin: Zhè wèi shìzhǎng yīnwèi jiēshòu huìlù ér shēn xiàn chǒuwén.
• English: This mayor is deeply embroiled in a scandal for accepting bribes.
• Analysis: A classic example of a political scandal (`政治丑闻`). The phrase `深陷 (shēn xiàn)` means “deeply stuck” or “embroiled in,” a common collocation with `丑闻`.
• Example 2:
• 这起丑闻的曝光，导致公司股价大跌。
• Pinyin: Zhè qǐ chǒuwén de bàoguāng, dǎozhì gōngsī gǔjià dàdiē.
• English: The exposure of this scandal caused the company's stock price to plummet.
• Analysis: This sentence highlights the financial consequences of a corporate scandal. `起 (qǐ)` is a measure word for incidents, and `曝光 (bàoguāng)` means “to expose.”
• Example 3:
• 媒体正在大肆报道这件丑闻。
• Pinyin: Méitǐ zhèngzài dàsì bàodào zhè jiàn chǒuwén.
• English: The media is reporting extensively on this scandal.
• Analysis: `大肆报道 (dàsì bàodào)` means “to report wantonly/extensively,” showing how scandals become media spectacles. `件 (jiàn)` is another common measure word for `丑闻`.
• Example 4:
• 他试图掩盖丑闻，但最终还是失败了。
• Pinyin: Tā shìtú yǎngài chǒuwén, dàn zuìzhōng háishì shībài le.
• English: He tried to cover up the scandal, but ultimately failed.
• Analysis: Shows a common theme in scandal narratives: the cover-up. `掩盖 (yǎngài)` is the key verb for “to cover up.”
• Example 5:
• 这对夫妻的离婚丑闻成了全国的八卦话题。
• Pinyin: Zhè duì fūqī de líhūn chǒuwén chéngle quánguó de bāguà huàtí.
• English: This couple's divorce scandal became a nationwide topic of gossip.
• Analysis: This example connects `丑闻` with `八卦 (bāguà)`, or gossip. It shows how personal matters, when they become public and messy, can be labeled as a `丑闻`.
• Example 6:
• 为了避免丑闻，他选择了辞职。
• Pinyin: Wèile bìmiǎn chǒuwén, tā xuǎnzéle cízhí.
• English: In order to avoid a scandal, he chose to resign.
• Analysis: This sentence illustrates a proactive measure to manage the fallout of a potential scandal. `避免 (bìmiǎn)` means “to avoid.”
• Example 7:
• 整个行业都因这起食品安全丑闻而受到影响。
• Pinyin: Zhěnggè hángyè dōu yīn zhè qǐ shípǐn ānquán chǒuwén ér shòudào yǐngxiǎng.
• English: The entire industry was affected by this food safety scandal.
• Analysis: Demonstrates the wide-reaching impact of a scandal, affecting more than just one company. `食品安全 (shípǐn ānquán)` means “food safety.”
• Example 8:
• 这本书揭露了许多不为人知的政治丑闻。
• Pinyin: Zhè běn shū jiēlùle xǔduō bùwéirénzhī de zhèngzhì chǒuwén.
• English: This book exposes many previously unknown political scandals.
• Analysis: `揭露 (jiēlù)` means “to expose” or “to reveal,” similar to `曝光`. The idiom `不为人知 (bùwéirénzhī)` means “not known by people,” emphasizing the secret nature of the scandals before they were revealed.
• Example 9:
• 尽管丑闻缠身，他仍然拒绝道歉。
• Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn chǒuwén chánshēn, tā réngrán jùjué dàoqiàn.
• English: Despite being plagued by scandals, he still refuses to apologize.
• Analysis: `丑闻缠身 (chǒuwén chánshēn)` is a set phrase that means “to be entangled/plagued by scandal.” It's a very vivid and common expression in news reports.
• Example 10:
• 他的职业生涯因为一桩丑闻而终结。
• Pinyin: Tā de zhíyè shēngyá yīnwèi yī zhuāng chǒuwén ér zhōngjié.
• English: His professional career was ended by a scandal.
• Analysis: Shows the ultimate consequence of a serious scandal. `桩 (zhuāng)` is another measure word for events/cases, often used with legal or serious matters.

• `丑闻 (chǒuwén)` vs. `绯闻 (fēiwén)`: `绯闻 (fēiwén)` specifically refers to a romantic or sex scandal, an affair. It's often used for celebrities. `丑闻` is a much broader term that can include a `绯闻`, but also covers financial, political, and other types of disgraceful acts. All `绯闻` that become public are a type of `丑闻`, but not all `丑闻` are `绯闻`.
• `丑闻 (chǒuwén)` vs. `八卦 (bāguà)` or `谣言 (yáoyán)`: Don't confuse a scandal with simple gossip or a rumor.
• `八卦 (bāguà)` is “gossip,” which can be trivial and is often about private lives.
• `谣言 (yáoyán)` is a “rumor,” which is an unverified story.
• A `丑闻` is a serious, confirmed, and publicly disgraceful event. A rumor might *lead* to a scandal if proven true, but they are not the same thing.
• Incorrect Usage: Using `丑闻` for a minor, personal embarrassing moment.
• Incorrect: 我在会议上把咖啡洒了，真是一个小丑闻。 (Wǒ zài huìyì shàng bǎ kāfēi sǎ le, zhēnshi yīgè xiǎo chǒuwén.)
• Why it's wrong: Spilling coffee is merely embarrassing (`尴尬 gāngà`), not a public disgrace that damages your moral reputation. A `丑闻` requires a serious moral or legal transgression.
• Correct: 我在会议上把咖啡洒了，真是太尴尬了。 (Wǒ zài huìyì shàng bǎ kāfēi sǎ le, zhēnshi tài gāngà le.) - “I spilled coffee at the meeting, it was so embarrassing.”

• 绯闻 (fēiwén) - A romantic or sex scandal, a specific and very common type of `丑闻`.
• 八卦 (bāguà) - Gossip; the informal talk through which news of a `丑闻` often spreads.
• 丢脸 (diūliǎn) - To lose face; the main social consequence of being involved in a `丑闻`.
• 曝光 (bàoguāng) - To expose (to light); the act of making a secret `丑闻` public.
• 贪污 (tānwū) - Embezzlement/corruption; a frequent source of political and corporate `丑闻`.
• 谣言 (yáoyán) - Rumor; an unverified story that could potentially turn into a `丑闻` if confirmed.
• 名声 (míngshēng) - Reputation; the thing that is destroyed by a `丑闻`.
• 媒体 (méitǐ) - The media; the institutions (newspapers, TV, websites) that report on `丑闻`.
• 尴尬 (gāngà) - Awkward/embarrassed; the feeling of a minor social mistake, not to be confused with the major disgrace of a `丑闻`.