Definition

Verb: 1. To suppress; to repress; to hold down: To use authority, power, or force to restrain, control, or keep someone or something from being free, active, or expressed. 2. To oppress: To keep someone in subservience and hardship, especially by the unjust or cruel exercise of authority.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chính quyền đã cố gắng đè nén cuộc biểu tình. (The government tried to suppress the protest.)
  • Anh ấy đè nén cơn giận của mình để tránh xung đột. (He suppressed his anger to avoid conflict.)
  • Một chế độ độc tài thường đè nén quyền tự do ngôn luận. (A dictatorship often suppresses freedom of speech.)

Advanced Usage

• "đè nén cảm xúc": to suppress/repress emotions.
  • Đè nén cảm xúc quá lâu có thể gây hại cho sức khỏe tinh thần. (Repressing emotions for too long can be harmful to mental health.)
• "bị đè nén": to be oppressed/suppressed.
  • Người dân bị đè nén dưới ách thống trị của bạo chúa. (The people were oppressed under the tyrant's rule.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đàn áp (verb): To crack down on; to oppress. Often used for more violent or forceful suppression.
  • đàn áp cuộc nổi dậy (to crack down on a rebellion)
• Kìm nén (verb): To restrain; to hold back. Often used for internal feelings or impulses.
  • kìm nén nước mắt (to hold back tears)
• Áp chế (verb): To dominate; to subjugate. Often implies political or military domination.
• Sự đè nén (noun): Suppression; oppression.
  • sống dưới sự đè nén (to live under oppression)

Synonyms

• Suppress: To put an end to the activities of a person, body of persons, etc.
• Repress: To keep under control, check, or suppress (desires, feelings, actions, tears, etc.).
• Oppress: To govern or treat with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints.
• Subdue: To conquer and bring into subjection.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single Vietnamese verb, 'đè nén' does not form phrasal verbs in the same way English verbs do. Its meaning is conveyed through combination with different objects. - đè nén xuống: to press/hold down (literally and figuratively). - đè nén mọi ý kiến phản đối xuống (to suppress all opposing opinions)

Related Idioms

• "Đè đầu cưỡi cổ": Literally "to press on the head and ride the neck". It means to oppress or bully someone terribly.
  • Bọn cường hào đè đầu cưỡi cổ dân lành. (The local tyrants oppressed the innocent villagers terribly.)
• "Kìm kẹp": To clamp down; to keep in a tight grip. Similar in meaning to 'đè nén'.
  • chế độ kìm kẹp tự do (a regime that clamps down on freedom)

verb

1. to command; to control; to restrain