Definition

1. Verb:
   • To set a trap/snare to catch: The primary meaning is the action of preparing and placing a trap or snare with the intention of capturing an animal, bird, or sometimes, figuratively, a person.
   • To trap, to ensnare: It can also describe the general act of catching someone or something using a trap or a deceptive scheme.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Người thợ săn đánh bẫy con cáo. (The hunter set a trap for the fox.)
  • Họ đánh bẫy chuột trong nhà kho. (They set traps for rats in the warehouse.)
  • Cảnh sát đánh bẫy bọn tội phạm. (The police set a trap for the criminals.)

Advanced Usage

• Figurative Use: Used metaphorically to describe tricking or deceiving someone into a disadvantageous situation.
  • Đối thủ đánh bẫy để công ty chúng tôi ký hợp đồng bất lợi. (The competitor set a trap for our company to sign an unfavorable contract.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bẫy (n): A trap, a snare.
  • Cái bẫy đã sập. (The trap sprung.)
• Đánh lừa (v): To deceive, to trick (broader term for deception, not necessarily involving a physical trap).
  • Hắn ta cố gắng đánh lừa tôi. (He tried to deceive me.)
• Gài bẫy (v): Synonymous with 'đánh bẫy', meaning to set/lay a trap.
  • Hắn gài bẫy ngay trên lối đi. (He laid a trap right on the path.)

Synonyms

• Bẫy (v): To trap.
• Sập bẫy (v): To fall into a trap (describes the victim's action).
• Gài bẫy (v): To set/lay a trap.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Đánh bẫy ai đó: To set a trap for someone.
  • Không nên đánh bẫy người khác. (One should not set traps for others.)

Related Idioms

• Mắc bẫy / Sập bẫy: To be trapped, to fall into a trap. This idiom describes the result of 'đánh bẫy'.
  • Con mồi đã sập bẫy. (The prey fell into the trap.)
  • Công ty đối thủ đã mắc bẫy của chúng ta. (The rival company fell into our trap.)

1. Lay a trap to catch, set a snare to catch
   • Đánh bẫy chim
     To set a snare to catch birds