Definition

Verb: - To feign illness; to sham sickness: The act of pretending to be sick or unwell, typically to avoid a responsibility, duty, or undesirable situation.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nhân viên đó thường xuyên cáo bịnh để nghỉ làm. (That employee often feigns illness to take a day off work.)
  • Học sinh cáo bịnh vì không làm bài tập về nhà. (The student shammed sickness because he hadn't done his homework.)
  • Anh ấy cáo bịnh để khỏi phải đi họp. (He pretended to be ill to get out of attending the meeting.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase implies a deliberate deception. It is often used in contexts of work, school, or social obligations where the person is seeking an excuse that will be accepted without question.

Variants and Related Words

• Cáo ốm (verb): A more common, everyday synonym with the identical meaning "to feign illness."
  • Cô ấy cáo ốm hôm qua. (She called in sick yesterday.)

Synonyms

• To feign illness: To pretend to be sick.
• To sham sickness: To falsely claim to be ill.
• To malinger: (formal) To exaggerate or feign illness to escape duty.

Related Idioms

• Giả vờ ốm: Literally "to pretend to be sick," a direct and common way to express the same idea.
  • Đừng giả vờ ốm nữa! (Stop pretending to be sick!)

verb

1. to feign illness; to sham sickness