Definition

1. Verb (military, archaic):
   • To assault / to assail: To make a concerted and aggressive attack on a fortified position or enemy stronghold. This term specifically describes a military action of attacking a defended location.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Quân đội quyết định công hãm thành trì. (The army decided to assault the fortress.)
  • Kế hoạch công hãm pháo đài địch được chuẩn bị kỹ lưỡng. (The plan to assail the enemy fortress was prepared meticulously.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily found in historical or literary contexts describing pre-modern warfare. It is considered an archaic term in modern Vietnamese.

Variants and Related Words

• Công thành (v): to attack a city or citadel.

  • Chiến thuật công thành tốn nhiều binh lực. (The tactic of attacking the city consumes much manpower.)

• Vây hãm (v): to besiege, to lay siege to.

  • Quân địch vây hãm thành phố suốt ba tháng. (The enemy forces besieged the city for three months.)

Synonyms

• Assault: To make a violent physical attack.
• Storm: To attack a defended place suddenly and capture it.
• Besiege: To surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it (note: "besiege" implies surrounding, while "công hãm" emphasizes the attack itself).

Related Idioms