hút máu

Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Verb phrase:
    • To suck blood: The literal meaning refers to the action of drawing blood out, typically by a creature like a mosquito, leech, or vampire.
    • To bleed dry / to bleed white: The primary figurative meaning is to exploit someone cruelly and relentlessly, extracting their money, resources, or vitality until they are exhausted or impoverished.
Usage Examples
  • Literal:
    • Muỗi đốt để hút máu. (Mosquitoes bite to suck blood.)
    • Con đỉa đang hút máu ở chân anh ta. (The leech is sucking blood from his leg.)
  • Figurative (Exploitation):
    • Bọn cho vay nặng lãi đó thực sự hút máu người nghèo. (Those usurers truly bleed the poor dry.)
    • Chế độ phong kiến hút máu nông dân. (The feudal regime bled the peasants white.)
Advanced Usage
  • Used as a modifier in compound nouns to describe a parasitic or exploitative entity.
    • bọn hút máu: the blood-suckers (a derogatory term for cruel exploiters).
      • Bọn hút máu ấy không có lương tâm. (Those blood-suckers have no conscience.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Hút (v): to suck, to inhale (the core verb meaning "to draw in").
  • Bóc lột (v): to exploit. This is a more general synonym for the figurative sense.
  • Bòn rút (v): to slowly drain or pilfer resources, often in a sneaky, continuous manner.
Synonyms
  • Exploit: to use someone unfairly for one's own advantage.
  • Prey on: to take advantage of or exploit someone vulnerable.
  • Drain: to deplete resources completely.
  • Parasitize: to live off and harm a host, similar to the literal meaning.
Related Idioms
  • Hút máu hút mủ: (lit. to suck blood and suck pus). An intensified version meaning to exploit in an extremely cruel and thorough manner, leaving the victim with nothing.
    • Chúng hút máu hút mủ công nhân bằng những hợp đồng bất công. (They bled the workers dry through unfair contracts.)
  1. Bleed white, be a blood-sucker tọ