Definition

1. Verb:
   • To kidnap, to abduct: To seize and detain a person unlawfully, typically by force or deception, and often to demand a ransom or achieve another objective.
   • To hijack: To seize control of a vehicle, especially an aircraft, by force.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cảnh sát đang truy tìm kẻ bắt cóc đứa trẻ. (The police are hunting for the person who kidnapped the child.)
  • Bọn tội phạm bắt cóc con tin để đòi tiền chuộc. (The criminals kidnapped the hostages to demand a ransom.)
  • Không tặc đã cố gắng bắt cóc máy bay. (The hijackers attempted to hijack the plane.)

Advanced Usage

• "bắt cóc tinh thần": A metaphorical phrase meaning "to brainwash" or "to indoctrinate," implying the coercive control of someone's thoughts or beliefs.
  • Tổ chức đó bị cáo buộc bắt cóc tinh thần các thành viên. (That organization is accused of brainwashing its members.)

Variants and Related Words

• Vụ bắt cóc (noun phrase): A kidnapping incident.
  • Vụ bắt cóc đã gây chấn động cả thành phố. (The kidnapping incident shocked the entire city.)
• Kẻ bắt cóc (noun phrase): A kidnapper.
  • Kẻ bắt cóc cuối cùng cũng bị bắt. (The kidnapper was finally caught.)
• Nạn bắt cóc (noun phrase): The crime or phenomenon of kidnapping.
  • Nạn bắt cóc trẻ em là một vấn đề nghiêm trọng. (The kidnapping of children is a serious problem.)

Synonyms

• Bắt giữ (verb): To arrest, to detain. (Note: This usually implies lawful or official detention, unlike the criminal act of "bắt cóc".)
• Cuỗm đi (verb, informal): To snatch away.

Related Phrases

• Bắt cóc tống tiền (verb phrase): To kidnap for ransom.
  • Chúng đang điều tra một vụ bắt cóc tống tiền. (They are investigating a kidnapping for ransom case.)

Related Idioms

• (Không commonly used as a traditional idiom. The word is typically used in its literal sense.)

verb

1. To kidnap, to hijack
   • bắt cóc trẻ em để tống tiền
     to kidnap childrens for a ransom
   • bắt cóc máy bay
     to hijack a plane