Definition

1. Verb:
   • To take a tiny, often sneaky, cut or commission: Refers to the act of secretly or dishonestly skimming a very small amount of money, goods, or profit for oneself, typically from a transaction or shared resource. The amount is considered trivial or petty.
   • To pilfer a minuscule amount: To steal or appropriate an insignificant sum in a furtive manner.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta quen thói ăn bẻo từ mỗi giao dịch của công ty. (He has a habit of taking a tiny cut from every company transaction.)
  • Người bán hàng bị nghi ngờ ăn bẻo tiền thối lại của khách. (The salesperson was suspected of skimming petty amounts from customer change.)
  • Không nên ăn bẻo từ quỹ chung, dù chỉ một đồng. (One should not pilfer even a single coin from the common fund.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often implies a repeated, habitual action rather than a single instance. It carries a strong negative connotation of dishonesty and untrustworthiness over trivial gains.
• It is frequently used in contexts of commerce, office settings, or communal finances where small, recurring amounts are involved.

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn bớt (v): To shortchange; to reduce the proper amount or portion, often secretly. This can involve larger amounts than "ăn bẻo."

  • Hắn ta ăn bớt nguyên liệu khi xây nhà. (He shortchanged on materials when building the house.)

• Ăn chặn (v): To intercept and take for oneself; to embezzle or misappropriate.

  • Nhân viên bưu điện bị bắt vì tội ăn chặn tiền gửi. (The postal worker was arrested for intercepting and taking mailed money.)

Synonyms

• To skim: To take a small amount off the top, especially money.
• To pilfer: To steal things of small value, especially in small quantities.
• To filch: To steal something, especially something of little value, in a casual way.

Related Idioms

• Ăn bẩn: To earn money or gain profit through dishonest or unethical means.

  • Làm ăn bẩn kiểu đó sớm muộn gì cũng bị bắt. (Operating dishonestly like that will lead to arrest sooner or later.)

• Vặt vãnh: Describes actions or gains that are petty, trivial, or insignificant. This adjective can describe the nature of what is taken in "ăn bẻo."

  • Chỉ là khoản tiền vặt vãnh, không đáng để anh phải ăn bẻo. (It's just a petty amount of money, not worth your skimming.)