Definition

1. Verb (Intransitive):

   • To contract a disease / to become infected with an illness: The primary meaning refers to the process of a pathogen (such as a virus, bacteria, or parasite) entering and establishing itself in a body, leading to illness. It emphasizes the moment or fact of acquiring the disease.

2. Verb (Transitive):

   • To infect (someone) with a disease: In some contexts, it can be used to mean causing someone else to contract a disease, though this is less common than the intransitive use.

Usage Examples

• Verb (Intransitive):
  • Bệnh nhân đó đã nhiễm bệnh sau chuyến đi. (That patient contracted a disease after the trip.)
  • Nếu không tiêm phòng, bạn có thể dễ dàng nhiễm bệnh. (If you are not vaccinated, you can easily become infected.)
• Verb (Transitive):
  • Anh ta vô tình nhiễm bệnh cho cả gia đình. (He unintentionally infected his whole family.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhiễm bệnh truyền nhiễm": to contract an infectious/communicable disease.
  • Khu vực này có nhiều nguy cơ nhiễm bệnh truyền nhiễm. (This area has a high risk of contracting communicable diseases.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lây nhiễm (v): to infect, to transmit (a disease). Often focuses on the transmission process.

  • Virus này lây nhiễm qua đường hô hấp. (This virus is transmitted through the respiratory tract.)

• Bị nhiễm (v): to be infected. A common passive construction.

  • Hàng trăm người bị nhiễm trong đợt dịch. (Hundreds of people were infected during the outbreak.)

Synonyms

• Contract: to acquire or become affected by (a disease).
• Catch: (informal) to contract an illness.
• Become infected: to have a pathogen enter and multiply in the body.

Related Idioms

• Nhiễm bệnh từ gốc: to be infected from the root/origin. Used to describe a deep-seated or fundamental infection or problem.
  • Hệ thống này nhiễm bệnh từ gốc, cần thay đổi hoàn toàn. (This system is flawed from the ground up and needs a complete overhaul.)

1. Contrac a disease