sâu mọt
Definition
- Noun:
- Parasite: A person who lives off others or society without making any useful contribution, exploiting resources for personal gain.
- Pest / Borer: Literally refers to insects like worms, weevils, or termites that bore into and destroy wood, grains, or plants.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Những tên sâu mọt tham nhũng phải bị trừng trị. (The corrupt parasites must be punished.)
- Gạo bị sâu mọt ăn hỏng. (The rice was ruined by weevils.)
- Bọn sâu mọt xã hội chỉ biết hưởng lợi. (Those social parasites only know how to reap benefits.)
Advanced Usage
- Used metaphorically in political or social criticism to describe corrupt officials, exploiters, or unproductive members of an organization.
- Thanh lọc bộ máy khỏi các phần tử sâu mọt. (To purge the apparatus of parasitic elements.)
Variants and Related Words
- Sâu bọ (n): Insects, bugs; often used similarly to mean harmful or parasitic creatures/people.
- Mọt (n): Specifically a weevil or borer insect; can be used alone.
Synonyms
- Parasite: An organism or person that lives off a host.
- Leech: A person who exploits others.
- Pest: A destructive insect or annoying person.
Related Idioms
- Sâu mọt đục khoét: Parasites that gnaw and erode (describing those who systematically corrupt or drain resources).
- Chúng hoạt động như những con sâu mọt đục khoét nền kinh tế. (They operate like parasites gnawing away at the economy.)
noun
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parasite
