crooked

Compared meaning: dishonest or acting improperly (adjective).

比较义项：不诚实、贪污或行为不正（形容词）。

• corrupt

  More formal; typically describes officials, institutions, or systems that abuse entrusted power for personal gain, especially through bribery.

  更正式，常用来形容官员、机构或体制滥用职权谋取私利，尤指收受贿赂。

  The corrupt official accepted money in exchange for favors.

  那个腐败的官员收受贿赂以换取好处。

• crooked 本词

  More informal; describes a dishonest person or business involved in shady or illegal dealings, often law enforcement or trade, rather than a whole institution.

  更口语化，形容行事不正、搞非法勾当的人或买卖，多指警察、生意人等个体，而非整个机构。

  The crooked cop took bribes and covered up the burglary for cash.

  那个不诚实的警察收受贿赂，并为了钱掩盖了这起入室盗窃案。

Corrupt and crooked both describe a dishonest person. Corrupt is more formal, describing officials or systems that abuse power by taking bribes. Crooked is more informal, describing a dishonest person or business in shady, illegal dealings. Crooked can mean bent, not straight; not compared.

这两个词在此义项下都可形容不诚实、行为不正的人，但语气和适用范围不同：corrupt更正式，强调滥用职权、收受贿赂，多用于官员或体制；crooked更口语化，泛指个人或买卖中耍手段、搞不正当勾当。这里不比较crooked表示“弯曲的、不直的”这一意思（如原例句“old fence was crooked”所用的义项）。