giết người không dao
Definition
- Idiom (Thành ngữ):
- To kill without a knife: A metaphorical expression describing the act of harming or destroying someone through cunning, deceit, or psychological means, rather than physical violence. It implies causing severe damage or ruin through treacherous schemes, malicious words, or underhanded tactics.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Lời đồn thất thiệt ấy đúng là giết người không dao. (Those malicious rumors are truly killing without a knife.)
- Hắn dùng thủ đoạn chính trị để hạ đối thủ, đích thực là giết người không dao. (He used political maneuvers to bring down his opponent, which is precisely killing without a knife.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is often used to criticize actions that are morally reprehensible and cause profound harm while the perpetrator appears innocent or detached. It highlights the destructive power of non-physical weapons like slander, manipulation, or betrayal.
Variants and Related Words
- Giết người không gươm (Idiom): A less common variant with the same meaning (to kill without a sword).
- Nham hiểm (Adj): Cunning, sinister, treacherous—a quality often associated with the person who "kills without a knife."
Synonyms
- Character assassination: Damaging someone's reputation maliciously.
- To stab someone in the back: To betray someone treacherously.
- To destroy someone by underhanded means: To cause someone's downfall through deceit.
Related Idioms
- Lời nói đâm mềm gối: Literally "words that stab soft pillows"; meaning words that cause deep, hidden hurt.
- Mưu sâu kế hiểm: Deep plots and dangerous schemes.