朋比為奸

Etymology

Based on an excerpt in the New Book of Tang:

漢時名節骨鯁士，同心愛國，而宦官小人疾之，起黨錮之獄，訖亡天下。趨利之人，常為朋比，同其私也；守正之人，常遭構毀，違其私也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
汉时名节骨鲠士，同心爱国，而宦官小人疾之，起党锢之狱，讫亡天下。趋利之人，常为朋比，同其私也；守正之人，常遭构毁，违其私也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

Hàn shí míngjié gǔgěng shì, tóngxīn àiguó, ér huànguān xiǎorén jí zhī, qǐ dǎnggù zhī yù, qì wáng tiānxià. Qūlì zhī rén, cháng wéi péngbǐ, tóng qí sī yě; shǒuzhèng zhī rén, cháng zāo gòuhuǐ, wéi qí sī yě. [Pinyin]

During the Han dynasty, righteous officials were one-minded and patriotic, but they were hated by the vile eunuchs, who set up the partisan prohibitions to end their regime. Those who sought after profit often ganged up because of their common selfishness, while the upright often fell into their snares.

Pronunciation

Idiom

朋比為奸

1. to conspire; to gang up; to form a faction for evil purposes
   • 後張讓、趙忠、封諝、段珪、曹節、侯覽、蹇碩、程曠、夏惲、郭勝十人朋比為奸，號為「十常侍」。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     后张让、赵忠、封諝、段圭、曹节、侯览、蹇硕、程旷、夏恽、郭胜十人朋比为奸，号为“十常侍”。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

     Hòu Zhāng Ràng, Zhào Zhōng, Fēng Xū, Duàn Guī, Cáo Jié, Hóu Lǎn, Jiǎn Shuò, Chéng Kuàng, Xià Yùn, Guō Shèng shí rén péngbǐwèijiān, hào wèi “Shíchángshì”. [Pinyin]

     Later Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Feng Xu, Duan Gui, Cao Jie, Hou Lan, Jian Shuo, Cheng Kuang, Xia Yun, and Guo Sheng formed a faction for evil purposes; they were called the "Ten Attendants".