kêu oan
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To claim innocence; to protest one's innocence: To assert or declare that one is not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing, often in a formal or desperate manner.
- To cry injustice; to appeal against an unjust verdict: To make a complaint or plea against a perceived unfair judgment or treatment.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Người tù liên tục kêu oan trước tòa. (The prisoner continuously claimed his innocence before the court.)
- Cô ấy viết đơn kêu oan gửi đến các cơ quan chức năng. (She wrote a petition appealing the injustice to the authorities.)
- Dù bị buộc tội, anh ta vẫn kêu oan và yêu cầu xét xử lại. (Although accused, he still protested his innocence and demanded a retrial.)
Advanced Usage
- The act of often implies a public or formal appeal, suggesting the person believes the system has failed them. It is commonly used in legal and bureaucratic contexts.
- "kêu oan thảm thiết": to plead one's innocence pathetically or desperately.
- Người đàn bà kêu oan thảm thiết giữa sân tòa. (The woman pleaded her innocence desperately in the courthouse yard.)
Variants and Related Words
- Kêu than (v): to complain, to lament (a more general term for expressing grievance, not specifically about innocence).
- Khiếu nại (v): to file a complaint, to appeal (often used in administrative or legal contexts, can be less emotionally charged than ).
- Cáo trạng (n): an indictment, a charge (the formal accusation that might lead someone to ).
Synonyms
- Plead innocent: To make an earnest appeal declaring one's lack of guilt.
- Cry foul: To protest that something is unfair or unjust (less formal, broader than just legal innocence).
- Appeal: To make a formal request for a decision to be reviewed or changed.
Related Idioms
- Oan như Thị Kính: As wronged as Thị Kính (from a famous Vietnamese folk story). Used to describe someone who is profoundly and unjustly accused.
- Bà ấy cảm thấy mình oan như Thị Kính nên quyết tâm kêu oan. (She felt as wronged as Thị Kính, so she was determined to appeal the injustice.)