thông gian
Definition
- Verb:
- To commit adultery: The primary meaning of "thông gian" is to engage in a sexual relationship between a married person and someone who is not their spouse, or between two individuals who are not married to each other but at least one is married to another person. It is a formal and legalistic term for adultery.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Bị cáo bị buộc tội thông gian với vợ của người hàng xóm. (The defendant was charged with committing adultery with his neighbor's wife.)
- Luật pháp cũ có thể trừng phạt những kẻ thông gian. (Old laws could punish those who committed adultery.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thông gian" is often used in legal, formal, or literary contexts. In everyday spoken language, phrases like "ngoại tình" (to have an affair) are more common.
Variants and Related Words
- Thông dâm (v): This is a direct synonym with identical meaning, also meaning "to commit adultery."
- Ngoại tình (v): to have an extramarital affair. This is a more general and commonly used term.
Synonyms
- Commit adultery: The direct and formal equivalent.
- Fornicate: While sometimes used, this term is broader and not specific to marital status.
Related Idioms
- : to be caught in the act of adultery.
- Họ bị bắt vì thông gian bị tại trận. (They were arrested for being caught in the act of adultery.)