Definition

1. Verb:
   • To extort money; to squeeze money: The primary meaning of "làm tiền" is to obtain money from someone through coercion, threats, or exploitation, often in an unfair or illicit manner.
   • To engage in prostitution (archaic/contextual): In older or specific contexts, particularly referring to a woman, it can mean to earn money through prostitution.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Bọn lừa đảo đó chuyên làm tiền người già. (Those scammers specialize in squeezing money from the elderly.)
  • Hắn tìm cách làm tiền công ty bằng những hợp đồng mờ ám. (He found a way to extort money from the company through shady contracts.)
  • Trong tiểu thuyết xưa, nhân vật ấy bị buộc phải làm tiền để sống. (In the old novel, that character was forced into prostitution to survive.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often implies a predatory, unethical, or criminal activity focused on illicit financial gain. It carries a strong negative connotation.

Variants and Related Words

• Èm tiền (v): to extort, to squeeze money. A close synonym with a similar negative meaning.
• Tống tiền (v): to blackmail. Specifically implies using threats to extract money.
• Bóc lột (v): to exploit. A broader term for exploitation, which can include financial exploitation.

Synonyms

• Extort: to obtain money through force or threats.
• Squeeze: to pressure someone into giving money.
• Blackmail: to demand money by threatening to reveal secrets.

Related Idioms

• Làm tiền thiên hạ: To extort money from people (emphasizing the public or many victims).
  • Tên trùm đó nổi tiếng với thủ đoạn làm tiền thiên hạ. (That boss is infamous for his schemes to extort money from people.)

verb

1. to squeeze; to blackmail
   • làm tiền người nào
     to squeeze money but of someone