Definition

Verb: - To quell, to crush: To suppress or extinguish something completely, often with force or decisive action. This typically refers to stopping a movement, activity, or development before it can grow or succeed. - To strangle to death; to nip in the bud: The literal meaning involves killing by squeezing or strangling. Figuratively, it means to stop something at its very beginning, preventing it from developing further.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chính quyền tìm cách bóp chết cuộc biểu tình. (The government sought to quell the protest.)
  • Họ đã bóp chết âm mưu đảo chính ngay từ trong trứng nước. (They crushed the coup plot in its infancy.)
  • Không nên bóp chết sự sáng tạo của trẻ nhỏ. (One should not stifle a child's creativity.)

Advanced Usage

• "bóp chết trong trứng nước": To nip something in the bud; to stop something at the earliest possible stage.
  • Mọi mầm mống nổi loạn đều bị bóp chết trong trứng nước. (Every seed of rebellion was nipped in the bud.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bóp nghẹt (verb): To suffocate, to stifle. Often used figuratively similarly to "bóp chết".
  • Luật lệ hà khắc có thể bóp nghẹt sự phát triển kinh tế. (Harsh regulations can stifle economic growth.)
• Đàn áp (verb): To oppress, to repress. A stronger and more political synonym.
  • đàn áp phe đối lập (to repress the opposition)

Synonyms

• Dập tắt: To extinguish (e.g., a fire, a rebellion).
• Triệt tiêu: To eliminate, to nullify.
• Ngăn chặn: To prevent, to stop.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a compound verb, "bóp chết" itself functions as a phrasal unit. Related Vietnamese phrases often use it with complements. - bóp chết sự sống: to choke the life out of something. - Cơn bão bóp chết sự sống của cả khu rừng. (The storm choked the life out of the entire forest.)

Related Idioms

• "Bóp chết như bóp chết con kiến": To crush/kill as easily as crushing an ant; to do something with overwhelming and effortless force.
  • Hắn có thể bóp chết công ty đối thủ như bóp chết con kiến. (He could crush the rival company as easily as crushing an ant.)

verb

1. To quell, to crush