Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pass a verdict; to condemn; to convict: The act of officially declaring someone guilty of a crime or wrongdoing after a formal process, such as a trial. It implies a judgment from a legal or moral authority.
   • To accuse; to charge: The act of formally stating that someone is responsible for a fault or crime. This meaning focuses on the act of making the accusation, which may or may not lead to a formal conviction.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Tòa án đã kết tội bị cáo về tội trộm cắp. (The court convicted the defendant of theft.)
  • Không nên vội vàng kết tội ai khi chưa có đủ chứng cứ. (One should not hastily condemn someone without sufficient evidence.)
  • Công tố viên dự định kết tội ông ta về tội tham nhũng. (The prosecutor intends to charge him with corruption.)

Advanced Usage

• "bị kết tội": to be convicted; to be found guilty.
  • Anh ta bị kết tội chung thân. (He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.)
• "kết tội oan": to wrongfully convict; to condemn unjustly.
  • Hệ thống tư pháp đôi khi có thể kết tội oan một người vô tội. (The justice system can sometimes wrongfully convict an innocent person.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kết án (Verb): To sentence; to pass a sentence. This word specifically refers to the act of declaring the punishment after a conviction.
  • Thẩm phán sẽ kết án vào tuần tới. (The judge will pass the sentence next week.)
• Buộc tội (Verb): To accuse; to charge. This is closer to the initial act of alleging a crime.
  • Cảnh sát buộc tội anh ta vi phạm luật giao thông. (The police charged him with a traffic violation.)
• Lên án (Verb): To condemn; to denounce. This has a stronger moral or public opinion connotation and is not strictly legal.
  • Cộng đồng quốc tế lên án hành động xâm lược. (The international community condemned the act of aggression.)

Synonyms

• Kết án (convict, sentence): To declare someone guilty and assign a punishment.
• Buộc tội (accuse, charge): To formally say someone has committed a crime.
• Lên án (condemn, denounce): To express strong disapproval, often publicly.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As Vietnamese does not have phrasal verbs in the same way English does, this section lists common verb phrases. - Đưa ra lời kết tội: To deliver a verdict; to pronounce a conviction. - Hội đồng xét xử đã đưa ra lời kết tội. (The jury delivered the guilty verdict.)

Related Idioms

• "Kết tội trước vàng mã": Literally "to convict before the paper offerings," meaning to judge or condemn someone prematurely without a fair hearing or investigation.
  • Anh ấy luôn kết tội trước vàng mã, chẳng bao giờ nghe lời giải thích. (He always judges prematurely, never listening to explanations.)

1. Pass a verdict; condemn