phục thù
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To take revenge, to avenge: The act of inflicting harm or punishment on someone in return for a wrong or injury they have committed. It focuses on retaliating for a past grievance.
- To seek vengeance: To pursue or plot retaliation against a person or group perceived as having caused harm.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Anh ta quyết tâm phục thù cho gia đình. (He is determined to avenge his family.)
- Họ âm mưu phục thù kẻ đã phản bội mình. (They plotted revenge against the one who betrayed them.)
- Nuôi chí phục thù suốt nhiều năm. (To nurture a desire for vengeance for many years.)
Advanced Usage
- The concept often implies a calculated, deliberate, and sometimes prolonged pursuit of retribution, rather than an immediate, impulsive reaction.
- It can be used in both personal contexts (e.g., family honor) and broader, almost literary contexts (e.g., historical or clan rivalries).
Variants and Related Words
- Sự phục thù (n): Revenge, vengeance. The noun form referring to the act or concept itself.
- Sự phục thù của họ thật đáng sợ. (Their vengeance was terrible.)
- Trả thù (v): A more common and direct synonym for "to take revenge."
- Báo thù (v): To exact revenge, often with a similar meaning to "phục thù."
Synonyms
- Avenge: To inflict harm in return for (an injury or wrong done to oneself or another).
- Retaliate: To make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack.
- Get even: (Informal) To retaliate or pay back.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Nuôi chí phục thù: To nurture/harbor a desire for revenge. This phrase emphasizes a long-held, burning intention for vengeance.
- Hắn nuôi chí phục thù từ khi còn nhỏ. (He has nurtured a desire for revenge since childhood.)
- Phục thù rửa hận: To take revenge to wipe away a grievance. A set phrase emphasizing the cleansing of dishonor through vengeance.
- Revenge, avenge
- Phục thù cho aiTo revenge (avenge) someone
- Nuôi chí phục thùTo nurture the will to avenge oneself, to nurture vindictiveness