Definition

1. Verb:
   • To get caught, to be enticed: Refers to the act of falling for a trap, trick, or temptation, similar to a fish biting a baited hook. It implies being deceived or lured into a situation.

Usage

• The verb cắn câu is used to describe a situation where someone is successfully tricked or enticed, often into revealing information, agreeing to something, or taking a disadvantageous action.
• It is commonly used in contexts involving deception, persuasion, or schemes.

Examples

• Verb:
  • Tên tội phạm cuối cùng cũng cắn câu và bị cảnh sát bắt giữ. (The criminal finally took the bait and was arrested by the police.)
  • Đừng để bị họ lừa, kẻo bạn sẽ cắn câu đấy. (Don't let them trick you, or you'll fall for it.)
  • Chiêu quảng cáo đó rất hiệu quả, nhiều khách hàng đã cắn câu. (That advertising tactic was very effective; many customers bit.)

Advanced Usage

• "Để cho ai đó cắn câu": to let someone take the bait.

  • Cảnh sát đã đặt bẫy và để cho hắn cắn câu. (The police set a trap and let him take the bait.)

• "Cắn câu ngay từ đầu": to bite/get hooked right from the start.

  • Câu chuyện hấp dẫn đến nỗi độc giả cắn câu ngay từ đầu. (The story was so captivating that readers were hooked right from the start.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mắc câu (verb): A near-synonym meaning to get caught/hooked. It is often used interchangeably with cắn câu.

  • Nó đã mắc câu vào kế hoạch của chúng tôi. (He fell for our plan.)

• Câu (noun): Hook; fishing rod. This is the root word meaning "hook," from which the idiom is derived.

• Mồi câu (noun): Bait.

Synonyms

• Mắc bẫy: to fall into a trap.
• Bị lừa: to be deceived/tricked.
• Bị dụ dỗ: to be seduced/enticed.

Related Idioms

• Cá cắn câu biết đâu mà gỡ: Literally, "When a fish bites the hook, who knows how to get it free?" This proverb means that once someone is entangled in a tricky situation, it is very difficult to extricate themselves.

  • Giờ anh ấy đã cắn câu, đúng là "cá cắn câu biết đâu mà gỡ". (Now that he's taken the bait, it's truly a case of 'in for a penny, in for a pound'.)

• Thả câu: to cast a line; to try to lure/trick someone.

  • Họ đang thả câu để xem ai sẽ cắn câu. (They are casting a line to see who will bite.)

verb

1. To get caught, to be enticed