dinh-tê
Definition
- Verb (historical, colloquial):
- To defect from the resistance: The primary meaning of "dinh-tê" is to abandon the revolutionary or resistance forces (specifically during wartime, such as the Vietnam War) and return to areas controlled by the opposing side, typically the enemy or former government.
- To rally to the enemy: It carries the connotation of surrendering to or siding with the opposing force, often implying a betrayal of one's original cause.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Một số binh lính đã quyết định dinh-tê. (Some soldiers decided to defect from the resistance.)
- Hành động dinh-tê bị coi là phản bội. (The act of defecting to the enemy was considered treason.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is historically specific and archaic, primarily used in the context of the Indochina Wars and the Vietnam War. It is strongly pejorative, used by one side to label those who switched allegiances.
Variants and Related Words
- Đào ngũ (v): to desert (from the military), a more general term for desertion not necessarily implying joining the enemy.
- Phản bội (v): to betray.
- Đầu hàng (v): to surrender.
Synonyms
- Defect: to abandon one's country or cause in favor of an opposing one.
- Desert: to leave military duty without permission.
- Go over to the enemy: a phrase describing switching sides in a conflict.
Related Idioms
- Bỏ chạy sang phe địch: to flee to the enemy's side. This is a descriptive phrase similar in meaning to "dinh-tê".