Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To bribe: The primary meaning of "đút tiền" is to give money or something of value to someone, often a person in a position of power or authority, to influence their actions or decisions dishonestly.
   • To slip money: It can literally mean to hand over money discreetly or secretly.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hắn đút tiền cho cảnh sát để tránh bị phạt. (He bribed the police officer to avoid a fine.)
  • Muốn việc được thông qua nhanh, anh ta phải đút tiền. (To get the approval quickly, he had to pay a bribe.)
  • Cô ấy đút tiền vào túi áo anh ấy mà không ai nhìn thấy. (She slipped money into his pocket without anyone seeing.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is strongly associated with corruption and illicit transactions. It implies a covert or underhanded action to gain an unfair advantage or to circumvent rules or laws.

Variants and Related Words

• Hối lộ (v): to bribe. This is a more formal synonym often used in legal contexts.

  • Công ty bị cáo buộc hối lộ quan chức. (The company was accused of bribing officials.)

• Đút lót (v): to bribe, to grease someone's palm. This is a close synonym with the same negative connotation.

  • Thủ tục đó đòi hỏi phải đút lót nhiều. (That procedure requires a lot of greasing of palms.)

Synonyms

• Bribe: to persuade someone to act in one's favor by a gift of money or other inducement.
• Grease someone's palm: (idiomatic) to bribe someone.
• Pay off: to bribe someone.

Related Idioms

• Đút tiền trước mặt mũi: to bribe someone brazenly or openly.
  • Hành động đút tiền trước mặt mũi đó thật là trắng trợn. (The act of bribing so openly was truly brazen.)