Definition

1. Verb:
   • To provoke a war, to stage war provocations: To intentionally initiate actions or make statements intended to cause a war or serious military conflict.
   • (Colloquial) To pick a quarrel, to provoke a fight: To deliberately say or do something to start an argument or a physical fight with someone.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hành động đó có thể bị coi là khiêu chiến. (That action could be considered an act of war provocation.)
  • Đừng có khiêu chiến với anh ta, anh ta rất nóng tính. (Don't pick a quarrel with him; he has a very short temper.)
  • Các cậu định khiêu chiến đấy à? (Are you going to pick a quarrel with one another?)

Advanced Usage

• Used in formal/political contexts: Often describes the actions of states or political entities.
  • Nước lớn không nên khiêu chiến với các nước láng giềng nhỏ hơn. (Major powers should not provoke wars with smaller neighboring countries.)
• Used in everyday/colloquial contexts: Describes interpersonal conflicts where someone is looking for a fight.
  • Nó chỉ nói vậy để khiêu chiến thôi, đừng để ý. (He only said that to provoke a fight; don't pay attention.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khiêu khích (verb): To provoke, to incite. This is a more general term for provocation, not necessarily leading to full-scale war.
  • Lời nói khiêu khích (Provocative words)
• Gây chiến (verb): To start a war. Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably with "khiêu chiến" in the military sense.
• Tuyên chiến (verb): To declare war.

Synonyms

• Kích động (verb): To incite, to stir up.
• Chọc tức (verb): To tease, to annoy (often used in a less serious, more personal context than "khiêu chiến").

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb, "khiêu chiến" is not typically broken down into phrasal verb components in Vietnamese. Its usage is as a standalone compound verb.

Related Idioms

• "Tìm vạch lá tìm sâu": (Literally: To look for worms by splitting leaves) To look for trouble, to nitpick. This idiom describes a tendency to provoke arguments over minor details, which is related to the colloquial sense of "khiêu chiến."
• "Đâm bị thóc, chọc bị gạo": (Literally: To poke the rice basket, to poke the paddy basket) To provoke or stir up trouble unnecessarily.

1. Provoke a war, stage war provocations.
2. (thông tục)Pick a quarrel
   • Các cậu định khiêu chiến đấy à?
     Are you going to pick a quarrel with one another?