Definition

1. Verb (từ cũ, thông tục):
   • To play a secondary role; to play second fiddle: To perform a minor, supporting, or insignificant role in a situation, organization, or activity, without holding a primary or important position.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Trong dự án đó, anh ta chỉ chạy hiệu cho giám đốc. (In that project, he only played second fiddle to the director.)
  • Công ty lớn thường có nhiều nhân viên chạy hiệu. (Large companies often have many employees playing secondary roles.)
  • Hắn ta không muốn mãi mãi chạy hiệu cho người khác. (He doesn't want to forever play a secondary role for others.)

Advanced Usage

• The term chạy hiệu originates from the performing arts, specifically traditional theater (like , ), where it referred to actors playing minor, non-speaking roles or assistants to main characters. Its usage has expanded metaphorically to any field (business, politics, daily life) to describe someone in a subordinate or insignificant position.
• It carries a slightly negative or dismissive connotation, often implying the role is unimportant, lacks autonomy, or is merely supportive without real power or recognition.

Variants and Related Words

• Vai phụ (n): Supporting role. (A more neutral, modern term for a secondary role, especially in film/theater.)
• Phụ tá (n/v): Assistant; to assist. (Focuses on the assisting function, less colloquial and negative than .)
• Đóng vai thứ yếu: To play a minor role. (A descriptive phrase similar in meaning.)

Synonyms

• Làm tay sai: To be a henchman; to do the bidding of someone else. (Stronger negative connotation, implies being used for potentially bad deeds.)
• Đi theo hầu: To follow and serve. (Emphasizes the servile aspect.)
• Giữ vai trò thứ cấp: To hold a secondary role. (More formal and descriptive.)

Related Phrases

• Chỉ là kẻ chạy hiệu: To be merely a subordinate/underling.
  • Hắn chẳng có quyền hành gì, chỉ là kẻ chạy hiệu mà thôi. (He has no authority, he's just an underling.)

Related Idioms

• Làm bình phong: To act as a front; to be a figurehead. (Different nuance: implies being used to conceal the true actor or intention, but also denotes a non-central role.)
• Vai tuồng không tên: A nameless role/character. (Emphasizes complete lack of recognition or importance, often used in theater but applicable metaphorically.)

1. (từ cũ, thông tục) Play a secondary role, play second fiddle