mãi lộ

Definition
  1. Noun (Historical):
    • Road toll paid to bandits: A sum of money that travelers were forced to pay to highwaymen or local brigands in order to pass safely along a road. This term describes an illegal, extortionate payment, not an official toll.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Ngày xưa, các thương nhân thường phải trả mãi lộ khi đi qua vùng rừng núi. (In the past, merchants often had to pay a road toll to bandits when passing through mountainous regions.)
    • Câu chuyện kể về một nhóm cướp đường đòi mãi lộ của người qua lại. (The story is about a group of highway robbers demanding a toll from passersby.)
Advanced Usage
  • The term "mãi lộ" is now considered archaic and is primarily found in historical contexts, literature, or when describing past societal conditions. It evokes a time of weak central authority where banditry was common on travel routes.
Variants and Related Words
  • Thuế đường (n): Road tax; a legal, official toll for road use.
  • Tiền qua đò (n): Ferry fare; money paid to cross a river by ferry. This is a specific, legitimate payment for a service.
  • Bảo kê (v/n): To protect/extort; protection money. A modern concept related to extortion, often by organized groups.
Synonyms
  • Extortion payment (for safe passage).
  • Illegal toll.
  • Highwayman's levy (historical).
Related Idioms
  • Cướp đường: Highway robbery. This is the act that necessitates paying .
    • Đoạn đường này nguy hiểm, nổi tiếng với nạn cướp đường. (This stretch of road is dangerous, infamous for highway robbery.)