Definition

1. Verb:
   • To bribe; to corrupt: "Hối lộ" means to give money, gifts, or other advantages to someone, especially someone in a position of power, to persuade them to do something illegal or dishonest for your benefit.
   • To offer a bribe: The act of proposing or providing a bribe.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hắn cố gắng hối lộ viên cảnh sát để tránh bị phạt. (He tried to bribe the police officer to avoid a fine.)
  • Việc hối lộ quan chức là một tội nghiêm trọng. (Bribing officials is a serious crime.)
  • Công ty đó bị cáo buộc hối lộ để giành được hợp đồng. (That company is accused of bribing to win the contract.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bị/Được hối lộ": to be bribed.

  • Viên chức đó đã bị hối lộ một số tiền lớn. (That official was bribed with a large sum of money.)

• Hành vi hối lộ: The act of bribery.

  • Hành vi hối lộ làm suy yếu hệ thống pháp luật. (The act of bribery weakens the legal system.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn hối lộ (verb phrase): to receive/accept a bribe.

  • Bất kỳ quan chức nào ăn hối lộ đều phải bị trừng phạt. (Any official who accepts a bribe must be punished.)

• Kẻ hối lộ (noun): briber; the person who offers the bribe.

• Người nhận hối lộ (noun): bribee; the person who receives the bribe.

• Tham nhũng (noun/verb): corruption; a broader term that often includes bribery.

• Đút lót (verb, informal): to bribe; a more colloquial synonym.

Synonyms

• Mua chuộc: to buy off; to corrupt (can imply bribery or other forms of undue influence).
• Mua: to buy (used figuratively in contexts like "mua quan").

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb, "hối lộ" does not commonly combine with other words to form phrasal verbs in the same way English verbs do. Its meaning is typically modified by context or accompanying verbs. - Thực hiện hành vi hối lộ: to commit an act of bribery. - Tổ chức việc hối lộ: to organize a bribery scheme.

Related Idioms

• "Có tiền mua tiên cũng được": (Money can buy anything) – This idiom reflects a mindset where bribery might be seen as possible, implying that with enough money, one can get anything, even something impossible.
• "Đồng tiền đi trước là đồng tiền khôn": (The money that goes first is the wise money) – This saying can sometimes be used to cynically justify offering bribes to get things done faster or to gain favor.

verb

1. to bribe; to corrupt
   • ăn hối lộ
     to receive a bribe