Definition

Verb: 1. To quash a verdict; to overturn a judgment: To annul or invalidate a legal verdict or sentence issued by a lower court. This is a formal judicial act. 2. To solve a case; to crack a case: To investigate and successfully resolve a criminal case, uncovering the truth and identifying the perpetrators. This usage is common in the context of police and detective work.

Usage Examples

• Verb (To quash a verdict):

  • Tòa án cấp cao có thẩm quyền phá án của tòa sơ thẩm. (The high court has the authority to quash the verdict of the lower court.)
  • Bản án đã bị phá do có bằng chứng mới. (The judgment was overturned due to new evidence.)

• Verb (To solve a case):

  • Cảnh sát đã phá án sau ba tháng điều tra. (The police solved the case after three months of investigation.)
  • Thám tử tư nổi tiếng với khả năng phá án nhanh chóng. (The private detective is famous for his ability to crack cases quickly.)

Advanced Usage

• "phá án hình sự": to solve a criminal case.
  • Đội đặc nhiệm chuyên phá án hình sự nghiêm trọng. (The special task force specializes in solving serious criminal cases.)
• "cơ quan có thẩm quyền phá án": the competent authority to quash a verdict.
  • Chỉ Tòa án nhân dân tối cao mới là cơ quan có thẩm quyền phá án trong tình huống này. (Only the Supreme People's Court is the competent authority to quash the verdict in this situation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Phá (verb): To break, to destroy, to demolish. This is the root verb, with "án" (verdict/case) as its object.
• Điều tra án (verb phrase): To investigate a case. This focuses on the investigation process, while "phá án" emphasizes the successful resolution.
• Giải án (verb - less common): To solve a case. A near-synonym for the second meaning.

Synonyms

• For meaning 1 (legal): Hủy án, bãi bỏ bản án (to annul/abolish a verdict).
• For meaning 2 (investigative): Làm sáng tỏ vụ án, tìm ra thủ phạm (to clarify the case, to find the culprit).

Related Phrases

• Công tác phá án (noun phrase): Case-cracking work; detective work.
  • Anh ấy đam mê công tác phá án. (He is passionate about detective work.)
• Năng lực phá án (noun phrase): The ability/capability to solve cases.
  • Vị thanh tra được đánh giá cao về năng lực phá án. (The inspector is highly regarded for his case-solving ability.)

Related Idioms

• "Phá án như thần": To solve cases miraculously/with god-like skill. This idiom praises someone's exceptional detective abilities.
  • Vị thám tử trong truyện thường phá án như thần. (The detective in the story often solves cases with miraculous skill.)

verb

1. to quash a verdict