Definition

1. Verb:
   • To usurp: To seize and hold (a position, power, title, or throne) by force or without legal right, especially from a rightful holder.

Usage

• The verb tiếm is used to describe the illegal, forceful, or wrongful seizure of authority, a position, or a title. It is a formal and somewhat literary term, often found in historical or political contexts.
• It is typically followed by the object that is being usurped (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Verb:
  • Kẻ phản nghịch đã tiếm ngôi vua. (The rebel usurped the king's throne.)
  • Hắn âm mưu tiếm quyền lãnh đạo công ty. (He plotted to usurp the company's leadership.)

Advanced Usage

• "tiếm đoạt": This is a compound verb meaning to usurp and take possession of something. It emphasizes the act of seizing and taking over.
  • Chúng tiếm đoạt tài sản của gia đình ông ấy. (They usurped his family's property.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tiếm quyền (verb phrase): To usurp power/authority.
• Tiếm ngôi (verb phrase): To usurp the throne.
• Soán đoạt / cướp đoạt (verbs): Synonyms meaning to usurp, to seize by force. These are more commonly used in modern Vietnamese than tiếm alone.
• Usurper (English noun): .

Synonyms

• Chiếm đoạt: To seize, to take over (often illegally).
• Cướp ngôi: To seize the throne (more direct and common than ).

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of tiếm is the wrongful appropriation of something that rightfully belongs to another, particularly positions of high authority like a throne or leadership role.
• It carries a strong negative connotation of illegitimacy and treachery.
• In modern Vietnamese, the simpler verb chiếm (to occupy, to seize) or phrases like cướp ngôi are more frequently used in everyday language. Tiếm is preserved in formal, historical, or literary contexts.

verb

1. to usurp