Definition

1. Verb:
   • To spoil, to ruin, to damage: To cause something to become defective, useless, or less good than before. It implies causing physical damage or ruining a state, condition, or quality.
   • To foil, to wreck, to thwart: To cause a plan, effort, or opportunity to fail or be unsuccessful.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đứa trẻ làm hỏng chiếc đồ chơi. (The child broke the toy.)
  • Cơn mưa làm hỏng buổi dã ngoại. (The rain ruined the picnic.)
  • Một lỗi nhỏ có thể làm hỏng toàn bộ kế hoạch. (A small mistake can wreck the entire plan.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm hỏng hóc": to cause a breakdown or malfunction (often used for machinery).
  • Sử dụng sai cách sẽ làm hỏng hóc máy móc. (Incorrect use will cause the machinery to break down.)

Variants and Related Words

• Làm hư (v): to spoil, to damage. Often interchangeable with "làm hỏng," though "làm hư" can sometimes sound slightly more formal or refer specifically to moral corruption.

  • Sách bị làm hư do ẩm ướt. (The books were damaged by dampness.)

• Phá hỏng (v): to wreck, to sabotage. Emphasizes a deliberate or destructive action.

  • Ai đó đã cố tình phá hỏng thiết bị. (Someone deliberately sabotaged the equipment.)

Synonyms

• Spoil: To diminish or destroy the value, quality, or pleasure of something.
• Ruin: To cause the complete failure or destruction of something.
• Wreck: To destroy or severely damage something.
• Thwart: To prevent someone from accomplishing their plan.

Related Idioms

• Làm hỏng việc: to mess things up, to botch a task.

  • Đừng can thiệp vào kẻo làm hỏng việc. (Don't interfere or you'll mess things up.)

• Làm hỏng cơ hội: to blow a chance, to ruin an opportunity.

  • Sự chần chừ của anh ấy đã làm hỏng cơ hội tốt. (His hesitation blew a good chance.)

verb

1. to foil; to wreck; to thwart