Definition

1. Noun (slang, vulgar):
   • Bribe; baksheesh; illicit payment: A sum of money or other inducement given secretly and dishonestly to someone, especially a public official, to persuade them to act in one's favor or to expedite a service.
   • "Tea and cigarettes money": A colloquial and euphemistic term, literally "tea leaf money," referring to a small, informal bribe or tip given to facilitate a process or gain a minor favor.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Muốn việc được giải quyết nhanh, anh ta phải đưa chè lá. (To get the matter resolved quickly, he had to give a bribe.)
  • Tiền chè lá cho lý trưởng trước khi lên quan. (Bribe money for the village headman before going to the yamen.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in the fixed phrase "tiền chè lá" (bribe money). It implies a transactional, often corrupt, payment to grease the wheels of bureaucracy or authority.
• It typically refers to smaller, routine bribes rather than large-scale corruption.

Variants and Related Words

• Hối lộ (v/n): To bribe / a bribe. This is the standard, formal term for bribery.
  • Hắn bị bắt vì tội hối lộ. (He was arrested for bribery.)
• Phong bì (n): Literally "envelope." Often used metonymically to refer to a discreet cash bribe placed inside an envelope.
  • Công việc bị đình trệ nếu không có phong bì. (The work stalls without an "envelope.")

Synonyms

• Bribe: Money or favor given to influence someone's actions.
• Backhander (informal): A secret bribe.
• Grease money (slang): Money paid to expedite service.
• Baksheesh: A tip, gratuity, or small bribe, especially in some Asian and Middle Eastern contexts.

Related Idioms

• "Có tiền mua tiên cũng được" / "Có tiền là có quyền": Idioms meaning "With money you can buy even a fairy" / "With money comes power," reflecting the cultural context where bribery ("chè lá") is sometimes perceived as a necessary tool.
• "Đi đêm": Literally "to go at night," meaning to engage in underhanded or secret dealings, which can include offering bribes.

1. Tea and cigarettes, baksheesh, bribe
   • tiền chè lá cho lý trưởng trước khi lên quan
     to give bribes to the village headman before going to the yamen