Definition

1. Verb:
   • To seek reinforcements: To formally request military aid or additional forces from an ally or another party, especially in a conflict.
   • To appeal for help/support: To call upon or solicit assistance, often in a desperate or urgent situation, which can extend beyond military contexts to diplomatic or material aid.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Tên vua mất ngôi chạy ra cầu viện nước ngoài. (The deposed king fled and sought reinforcements from abroad.)
  • Chính phủ buộc phải cầu viện các nước láng giềng. (The government was forced to appeal for help from neighboring countries.)
  • Họ cầu viện đến luật pháp quốc tế. (They appealed to international law for support.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often implies a formal or official request made by a state, government, or authority figure. It carries a connotation of strategic reliance on external power.
• "cầu viện ngoại bang": to seek foreign intervention.
  • Hành động cầu viện ngoại bang bị coi là phản bội. (The act of seeking foreign intervention was considered treasonous.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cầu cứu (v): To call for rescue, to cry for help. This is more general and immediate, often used in personal or emergency situations, whereas cầu viện is more strategic and official.

  • Người bị nạn đang cầu cứu. (The victim is calling for help.)

• Xin viện trợ (v): To request aid/assistance. This often refers to economic or humanitarian aid.

  • Quốc gia đó xin viện trợ nhân đạo. (That country requested humanitarian aid.)

Synonyms

• To solicit aid: To ask for help or support formally.
• To call for reinforcements: Specifically to request additional military troops.
• To invoke assistance: To call upon authority or power for support.

Related Idioms

• While itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its use is conceptually related to the idea of "đến nước phải cầu cứu" (to be driven to the point of having to ask for help), which describes a situation of dire necessity.

1. To seek reinforcements
   • tên vua mất ngôi chạy ra cầu viện nước ngoài
     the deposed king fled and sought reinforcements from abroad