Definition

1. Verb:
   • To provoke hostilities; to act aggressively: The primary meaning of "gây hấn" is to initiate or provoke conflict, aggression, or warlike actions. It implies deliberately creating a tense or hostile situation that could lead to a fight or war.
   • To be belligerent: It describes adopting a confrontational and aggressive stance.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nước đó liên tục gây hấn ở biên giới. (That country is constantly provoking hostilities at the border.)
  • Đừng gây hấn với hàng xóm. (Don't pick a fight / act aggressively with the neighbors.)
  • Hành động đó bị coi là gây hấn. (That action is considered an act of aggression.)

Advanced Usage

• "hành động gây hấn": aggressive action / act of aggression.

  • Liên Hợp Quốc lên án mọi hành động gây hấn. (The United Nations condemns all acts of aggression.)

• "tính gây hấn": aggressiveness, belligerence.

  • Động vật thường thể hiện tính gây hấn khi bị đe dọa. (Animals often show aggressiveness when threatened.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khiêu khích (v): to provoke, to incite. This is a close synonym but can be used in broader, not necessarily warlike, contexts.

  • Anh ta cố tình khiêu khích đối thủ. (He deliberately provoked his opponent.)

• Gây chiến (v): to start a war, to wage war. This is stronger and more specific to armed conflict.

  • Không một bên nào muốn gây chiến. (Neither side wants to start a war.)

Synonyms

• Provoke hostilities: to cause antagonism that may lead to conflict.
• Act aggressively: to behave in a confrontational manner.
• Be belligerent: to be hostile and inclined to fight.

Related Idioms

• While "gây hấn" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is the core concept in phrases describing escalation.
  • Đổ thêm dầu vào lửa: to add fuel to the fire (an action that worsens conflict, which could be a result of "gây hấn").

1. provoke war, provoke hostilities