Definition

1. Verb:
   • To force, to compel: To make someone do something against their will, often through pressure, authority, or harsh circumstances. It implies an unjust or severe imposition.
   • To coerce, to constrain: To use power or threat to achieve compliance, often leaving the subject with little or no choice.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cha mẹ không nên ép uổng con cái trong việc hôn nhân. (Parents should not force their children in matters of marriage.)
  • Họ bị ép uổng phải ký vào hợp đồng bất lợi. (They were compelled to sign the unfavorable contract.)
  • Ép uổng người khác theo ý mình là sai trái. (Forcing others to follow your will is wrong.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a strong negative connotation of injustice, hardship, or a violation of free will. It is frequently used in contexts involving moral, social, or emotional pressure, such as forced marriages, unjust agreements, or oppressive demands.

Variants and Related Words

• Ép buộc (v): to compel, to oblige. This is a more common and slightly less severe synonym.
  • Không có luật nào ép buộc bạn phải làm thế. (No law compels you to do that.)
• Cưỡng ép (v): to coerce, to force. Emphasizes the use of strength or power.
  • Mọi sự cưỡng ép đều đáng lên án. (All coercion is condemnable.)

Synonyms

• Force: To make someone do something against their resistance.
• Compel: To force or oblige someone to do something.
• Coerce: To persuade someone to do something by using force or threats.

Related Idioms

• Ép uổng duyên con: (From the proverb "Cha mẹ tham giàu ép uổng duyên con") Refers to parents forcing a marriage for wealth, against their child's wishes. It symbolizes unjust parental coercion in life choices.
  • Câu chuyện cổ tích thường phản ánh nỗi đau của ép uổng duyên con. (Fairy tales often reflect the pain of forced marital matches.)

verb

1. to force, to compel