con buôn
Definition
- Noun:
- Trafficker; merchant: A person whose primary activity is buying and selling goods, often with a strong implication of being driven by profit, sometimes unscrupulously. It can refer to a trader, dealer, or merchant, particularly one perceived as shrewd, greedy, or engaged in unethical practices.
- Profiteer: A person who seeks or makes excessive profits, especially by exploiting shortages or market conditions.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Bọn con buôn lũng đoạn thị trường. (The traffickers/profiteers are cornering the market.)
- Hắn ta có máu con buôn từ nhỏ. (He has had the soul of a merchant/profiteer since he was young.)
- Đừng tin vào lời hứa của tay con buôn đó. (Don't trust the promises of that trafficker/dealer.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a negative connotation, criticizing a person for being overly commercial, greedy, or prioritizing profit over ethics.
- "óc con buôn" (mercantile mind): A mindset focused solely on profit and commercial gain.
- Công ty đó bị chỉ trích vì có óc con buôn. (That company is criticized for having a mercantile mind.)
Variants and Related Words
Thương buôn (n): Merchant, trader. This is a more neutral, formal term for a businessperson.
- Các thương buôn họp tại hội chợ. (The merchants gathered at the fair.)
Con buôn chính trị (n): A political profiteer; a person who engages in politics for personal gain.
- Ông ta bị gọi là con buôn chính trị. (He is called a political profiteer.)
Synonyms
- Trafficker: A person who deals in something, often illegal goods.
- Profiteer: A person who makes excessive profits, especially in times of scarcity.
- Dealer: A person who buys and sells goods.
- Mercenary: Primarily concerned with making money (similar in spirit).
Related Idioms
- Máu con buôn: Literally "the blood of a merchant"; having a natural inclination for trade and profit-seeking.
- Anh ấy có máu con buôn, luôn tìm cách kiếm lời. (He has the blood of a merchant, always looking for ways to make a profit.)
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Trafficker
