Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Savage; barbaric; uncivilized: "mọi rợ" is a derogatory term used to describe people or cultures considered primitive, uncivilized, or barbaric. It reflects a prejudiced and ethnocentric viewpoint.
   • Barbarous; uncouth: It can also describe behavior or actions deemed crude, brutal, or lacking in refinement.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Những kẻ xâm lược coi người dân bản địa là mọi rợ. (The invaders considered the indigenous people to be savages.)
  • Quan điểm đó thể hiện một tư tưởng mọi rợ, coi thường các nền văn hóa khác. (That viewpoint reflects a barbaric ideology, looking down on other cultures.)
  • Hành động tàn bạo đó thật sự là mọi rợ. (That brutal action is truly barbarous.)

Advanced Usage

• Used in historical or critical contexts: The term is primarily used in historical analysis or critical discourse to condemn colonial, feudal, or racist attitudes that labeled other groups as inferior.
  • Chủ nghĩa thực dân thường gắn liền với cách nhìn mọi rợ về các dân tộc thuộc địa. (Colonialism is often associated with a savage view of colonized peoples.)

Word Origin and Notes

• Origin and Connotation: "Mọi rợ" is a compound term with strong negative and offensive connotations. It originates from the prejudiced perspectives of feudal and capitalist systems to disparage ethnic groups or nations they considered backward or uncivilized. Its use today is almost exclusively to critique such prejudiced views from the past or present.
• Modern Usage Warning: In contemporary Vietnamese, using this term to describe any person or group is highly offensive and unacceptable. It is mainly encountered in historical texts or used academically to discuss racism and discrimination.

Synonyms

• Dã man: Savage, barbaric.
• Man rợ: Barbarous, cruel (also a derogatory term).
• Thô lỗ: Rude, uncouth (less severe, focusing on manners).
• Khai hóa / văn minh: These are the antonyms (civilized, enlightened), often used in the contrasting phrase " vs. ".

Related Terms and Concepts

• Tư tưởng thượng đẳng / phân biệt chủng tộc: Superiority complex / racism (the ideologies that produce terms like "mọi rợ").
• Chủ nghĩa thực dân: Colonialism (a context where such terms were frequently used).
• Định kiến: Prejudice.

1. Savage