Definition

Noun: 1. Steel-pellet bomb; cluster bomb unit: A type of explosive weapon designed to disperse a large number of small, often spherical, metal projectiles (steel pellets or ball bearings) upon detonation to cause widespread injury over a large area. 2. Fragmentation bomb: More broadly, it can refer to any bomb that uses pre-formed fragments or pellets as its primary lethal mechanism.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • During the war, many areas were contaminated with unexploded bom bi. (Trong chiến tranh, nhiều khu vực bị ô nhiễm bởi bom bi chưa nổ.)
  • The use of bom bi against civilian populations is prohibited by international law. (Việc sử dụng bom bi chống lại dân thường bị luật pháp quốc tế cấm.)
  • The victim was injured by bom bi shrapnel. (Nạn nhân bị thương do mảnh bom bi.)

Advanced Usage

• "bom bi chùm": This is a more specific term for a cluster bomb, which is a canister that opens in the air to release many smaller submunitions over a wide area.
  • Các tổ chức nhân đạo đang kêu gọi cấm bom bi chùm. (Humanitarian organizations are calling for a ban on cluster bombs.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bom từ trường (noun): Magnetic bomb; a bomb activated by magnetic sensors.
• Bom napalm (noun): Napalm bomb; an incendiary weapon.
• Mảnh bom (noun): Bomb fragment; shrapnel.
• Bi (noun): In this context, means "pellet" or "ball bearing," which is the core component of the weapon.

Synonyms

• Bom mẹ (when referring to the cluster bomb canister): Mother bomb.
• Bom phân tán (descriptive): Dispersion bomb.
• Vũ khí phân mảnh (general category): Fragmentation weapon.

Related Phrases / Collocations

• Nạn nhân bom bi: Victim of a cluster bomb/steel-pellet bomb.
• Di chứng bom bi: Aftermath/legacy of cluster bombs.
• Dọn dẹp bom bi: To clear cluster bombs.
• Ô nhiễm bom bi: Cluster bomb contamination.

Notes on Meaning

The term "bom bi" is strongly associated with the Vietnam War era and refers specifically to the CBU (Cluster Bomb Unit) types that released hundreds of small steel pellets. Its primary meaning is the steel-pellet bomb or cluster bomb submunition. While it can be understood generally as a fragmentation device, its most precise and common usage is for the specific anti-personnel weapon described.

noun

1. Steel-pellet bomb