lạm quyền
Definition
- Verb:
- To abuse power / to overstep one's authority: The act of using one's official position or power in an excessive, unjust, or illegal way, beyond the limits of what is permitted.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Viên chức đó bị cáo buộc lạm quyền. (That official was accused of abusing power.)
- Hành động của anh ta là một hình thức lạm quyền rõ ràng. (His action was a clear form of overstepping authority.)
- Không được lạm quyền để trục lợi cá nhân. (One must not abuse power for personal gain.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a strong negative connotation and is typically used in formal, legal, or political contexts to describe misconduct by officials, managers, or anyone in a position of authority.
Variants and Related Words
- Lạm dụng (v): to abuse, to misuse (can refer to power, trust, or substances).
- Lạm dụng quyền lực is a near-synonymous phrase meaning "to abuse power."
- Vượt quyền (v): to exceed one's authority (a more neutral term for overstepping).
Synonyms
- To abuse authority: to misuse power wrongfully.
- To exceed one's powers: to act beyond granted authority.
- To usurp power: to seize or use power without right (a stronger, more specific term).
Related Idioms
- While "lạm quyền" itself is a specific term, it is conceptually related to the idea of "cậy quyền cậy thế", which means to throw one's weight around or to rely on one's position and influence to act arrogantly.