mắc mưu
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To fall for a trick / to be tricked: To be deceived or duped by someone's scheme or cunning words; to believe a lie or a dishonest plot.
- To be caught in a trap / to be ensnared: To become entangled in a situation or plan set by another person to exploit or harm you.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Nó nói dối, và tôi đã mắc mưu. (He lied, and I fell for the trick.)
- Đối thủ dùng kế nghi binh, khiến quân địch mắc mưu. (The opponent used a feint, causing the enemy forces to be ensnared.)
- Đừng tin lời hắn, kẻo bạn sẽ mắc mưu. (Don't believe his words, or you'll be tricked.)
Advanced Usage
- This phrase often implies a sense of gullibility or being outsmarted. It is frequently used in narratives about competition, conflict, or personal betrayal.
- It can be used in both serious contexts (e.g., military strategy, scams) and lighter, everyday situations (e.g., a practical joke).
Variants and Related Words
Mắc lừa (verb phrase): to be deceived, to be fooled. A very close synonym.
- Tôi không ngờ mình lại mắc lừa một trò gian xảo như vậy. (I didn't expect to be fooled by such a cunning trick.)
Mắc bẫy (verb phrase): to be caught in a trap (literal or figurative).
- Con chim nhỏ đã mắc bẫy. (The small bird was caught in the trap.)
Synonyms
- To be deceived: To be made to believe something that is not true.
- To be duped: To be tricked or fooled.
- To fall into a trap: To become a victim of a pre-arranged scheme.
Related Idioms
Mắc câu: Literally "to take the bait"; to fall for a provocation or an enticing offer that is actually a trap.
- Hắn dùng lời đường mật, và nó đã mắc câu. (He used honeyed words, and she took the bait.)
Mắc kẹt: To be stuck (in a situation). While not directly about deception, it shares the root "mắc" (to be caught) and can relate to the consequence of being tricked.
- Sau khi mắc mưu, anh ta mắc kẹt trong một hợp đồng tồi. (After being tricked, he got stuck in a bad contract.)