liều mạng
Definition
- Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
- Reckless to the point of risking one's life: Describes an action taken with extreme disregard for personal safety or survival, often involving a high probability of death or severe injury. It implies a conscious or desperate acceptance of fatal danger.
- Daring death: Acting in a way that brazenly challenges or invites mortal peril.
Usage Examples
- Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
- Hắn lái xe liều mạng qua khu vực có chiến sự. (He drove recklessly through the combat zone, risking his life.)
- Leo lên vách đá mà không có dây bảo hiểm là hành động liều mạng. (Climbing the cliff without a safety rope is a life-risking act.)
- Cô ấy liều mạng nhảy xuống sông để cứu đứa trẻ. (She risked her life jumping into the river to save the child.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often functions as an adverbial modifier for verbs, describing an action is performed (e.g., - to act recklessly, - to live recklessly).
- It can describe a characteristic or habitual tendency of a person: (He is a reckless daredevil.)
Variants and Related Words
- Liều lĩnh (adj): Reckless, rash. This is a close synonym but does not necessarily emphasize the same extreme, life-threatening level of danger as "liều mạng."
- Anh ta đưa ra quyết định liều lĩnh. (He made a rash decision.)
Synonyms
- Reckless: Acting without thinking or caring about danger or consequences.
- Daredevil: A person who enjoys doing dangerous things.
- Foolhardy: Recklessly bold or rash.
- To risk one's life: The verbal phrase describing the action.
Related Idioms
- "Ăn may" (to rely on luck): Often describes the mindset behind a "liều mạng" action, where success depends on chance rather than skill or safety.
- Hành động liều mạng của hắn chẳng qua là ăn may mà sống sót. (His reckless act was merely a case of surviving by sheer luck.)