Definition

1. Verb:
   • To coerce and bully; to oppress: The act of using force, threats, or intimidation to make someone do something against their will or to subject them to cruel or unjust treatment.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Kẻ xấu thường bức hiếp người yếu thế. (Bad people often bully the vulnerable.)
  • Chúng không thể bức hiếp tôi làm điều sai trái. (They cannot coerce me into doing wrong.)
  • Chế độ đó đã bức hiếp người dân trong nhiều năm. (That regime oppressed the people for many years.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "bức hiếp" often implies a sustained, systematic, or particularly harsh form of coercion and oppression, carrying a stronger moral condemnation than simpler words for "to force."

Variants and Related Words

• Hà hiếp (v): to bully, to tyrannize. This is a very close synonym, often used interchangeably.

  • Nó thích hà hiếp các bạn nhỏ hơn. (He likes to bully younger kids.)

• Ức hiếp (v): to oppress, to bully. Another common synonym with a similar meaning.

  • Không ai có quyền ức hiếp người khác. (No one has the right to oppress others.)

Synonyms

• Oppress: to govern or treat with cruel or unjust imposition of authority.
• Coerce: to compel by force, intimidation, or authority.
• Bully: to use superior strength or influence to intimidate someone.
• Tyrannize: to exercise absolute power cruelly and oppressively.

Related Idioms

• While "bức hiếp" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, the concept is central to phrases like:
  • Cậy mạnh hiếp yếu: To use one's strength to bully the weak.

    • Hành động cậy mạnh hiếp yếu là đáng khinh. (The act of using strength to bully the weak is despicable.)

1. To coerce and bully, to oppress