tác oai

Definition

Verb phrase:
- To throw one's weight around; to act in a bullying or intimidating manner: To use one's power, authority, or position to dominate, threaten, or oppress others, often in a showy or unjust way. It implies abusing power to make others fearful or submissive.

Usage Examples

Verb phrase:
- Ông chủ mới hay tác oai với nhân viên. (The new boss often throws his weight around with the employees.)
- Đừng tác oai chỉ vì mày là anh cả. (Don't act like a bully just because you're the eldest brother.)
- Bọn côn đồ đó thích tác oai trong khu phố. (Those hoodlums like to intimidate people in the neighborhood.)

Advanced Usage

The phrase "tác oai" is very rarely used in isolation in modern Vietnamese. It almost always appears in the fixed, four-syllable idiom "tác oai tác quái".
"tác oai tác quái": to act tyrannically and mischievously; to be a bully and a troublemaker. This idiom describes someone who abuses power and also causes trouble or engages in wicked, ghost-like behavior.
- Tên quan tham ấy nổi tiếng với thói tác oai tác quái. (That corrupt official is infamous for his tyrannical and wicked ways.)

Variants and Related Words

Tác oai tác quái (idiom): to act like a tyrant and a demon; to bully and cause mischief.
- Bọn chúng chỉ là một lũ tác oai tác quái. (They are just a bunch of bullies and troublemakers.)

Synonyms

To bully: to use strength or power to harm or intimidate others.
To intimidate: to frighten or threaten someone to make them do something.
To lord it over someone: to act in a way that shows you think you are better or more powerful than someone else.
To throw one's weight around: to use one's authority or influence in an aggressive or ostentatious manner.

Related Idioms

Làm oai làm tướng: to put on airs; to act in a pompous, authoritative manner to impress others. This has a similar connotation of showing off power but may be less severe than "tác oai."
- Anh ta chẳng có chức vụ gì mà suốt ngày làm oai làm tướng. (He holds no position but acts pompous all day.)