In Japan, it's called kuroi kiri (black mist), in Germany, it's schmiergeld (grease money), Mexicans refer to la mordida (the bite), the French say pot-de-vin (jug of wine), and Italians speak of the bustarella (little envelope). To which still-popular but potentially unethical business practice do these terms refer?

Bribery is a term used to describe the unethical practice by which a person or group of persons give/promise money or gifts to another person or a group of persons (the recipient) in order to make the recipient take actions that would favour the giver.

Bribery mostly takes place in public institutions where the recipient is most likely a public official. It is important to note that Bribery does not only describe giving. It also implies taking. Thus both givers and recipients of bribes are guilty of bribery.

The unethical practice called bribery has universal spread as evident in the local name given to it by citizens of different countries. In Japan, it is known as kuroi kiri (black mist). Germans call it schmiergeld (grease money), Mexicans say la mordida (the bite), the French refer to it as pot-de-vin (jug of wine), while Italians call it bustarella (little envelope).