Definition

Verb Phrase: - To seek or obtain money (often urgently): The primary meaning refers to the act of actively looking for, gathering, or procuring money, typically to meet a pressing need or financial obligation. - To bribe; to pay a bribe: A specific, colloquial meaning where "chạy tiền" describes the act of giving money or other valuables to someone in a position of power to influence their actions or decisions illicitly.

Usage Examples

• To seek/obtain money:
  • Gia đình anh ấy đang phải chạy tiền để trả viện phí. (His family has to scramble to get money to pay the hospital fees.)
  • Muốn mở cửa hàng, trước hết phải chạy tiền vốn. (To open a shop, you first have to secure the capital.)
• To bribe:
  • Hắn ta bị bắt vì chạy tiền cho cán bộ. (He was arrested for bribing an official.)
  • Việc chạy tiền để được cấp phép là phạm pháp. (Bribing to get a license is illegal.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies difficulty, urgency, or the use of personal connections ("chạy") to acquire the money ("tiền"). The context makes it clear whether it is a neutral act of fundraising or an illicit act of bribery.
• In the context of bribery, it is a euphemistic and common colloquial term.

Variants and Related Words

• Chạy vốn (v): to seek capital/funding.
  • Công ty khởi nghiệp đang chạy vốn vòng hai. (The startup is seeking its second round of funding.)
• Điều tiền (v): to allocate or mobilize funds (more formal, less urgent connotation).
• Hối lộ (v/n): to bribe / a bribe (the direct, formal term for bribery).

Synonyms

• To raise money: To collect money for a purpose.
• To secure funds: To obtain money, often from a specific source.
• To bribe: To give money or favors to corruptly influence someone.

Related Idioms

• Chạy chọt: to run around seeking favors or influence (often involving money or connections).
  • Việc chạy chọt để xin việc cho con là không nên. (Running around using connections to get a job for one's child is not advisable.)
• Chạy án: to bribe or use connections to influence a legal case.
  • Bị cáo bị cáo buộc tìm cách chạy án. (The defendant was accused of trying to fix the case.)

1. To go in search for money
2. To bribe, to pay a bribe