Definition

1. Verb:
   • To take a small, often illicit, share of profits or benefits; to get a piece of the pie: The word "chấm mút" describes the action of taking a portion, typically a small, unofficial, or under-the-table cut, from money, profits, or advantages, often in a context involving corruption, favoritism, or misuse of position.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Trong hợp đồng đó, hắn ta chắc chắn đã chấm mút không ít. (In that contract, he surely took a nice little cut for himself.)
  • Anh ta chỉ là nhân viên nhỏ, làm sao mà chấm mút được? (He's just a low-level employee, how could he get a piece of the pie?)
  • Mọi người nghi ngờ ông ấy chấm mút từ quỹ công. (People suspect he's been skimming off the public fund.)

Advanced Usage

• "chấm chấm mút mút": This reduplicated form emphasizes the action of taking small, repeated, or petty cuts.
  • Hắn ta suốt ngày chỉ lo chấm chấm mút mút trong các giao dịch. (All day long, he's only concerned with skimming little bits here and there from transactions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hưởng lợi (verb): To benefit, to profit. This is a more general and neutral term for receiving benefits.
• Tham nhũng (verb/noun): To be corrupt / corruption. This is a much broader and more serious term for corrupt practices, which may include "chấm mút".
• Ăn chặn (verb): To embezzle, to pocket. This implies taking a larger or more direct portion of money, often by deceit.

Synonyms

• Hưởng phần (verb): To enjoy a share.
• Có phần (verb): To have a share.
• Xơ mút (verb, colloquial): To take a cut, to get a share (similar informal and often illicit connotation).

Related Phrases

• "Có chấm có mút": An informal phrase meaning there is an opportunity to get a share or a cut.
  • Dự án lớn thế này, chắc chắn sẽ có chấm có mút. (Such a big project, there will definitely be opportunities to get a cut.)

Related Idioms

• "Ăn trên ngồi trốc": To live high on the hog; to benefit illicitly from one's position. This idiom describes enjoying ill-gotten gains, which is the result of actions like "chấm mút".
• "Bòn rút": To pilfer, to embezzle bit by bit. This emphasizes the slow, gradual, and sneaky nature of taking, similar to the connotation of "chấm mút".

1. To make money from rake-offs