tranh khôn
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To compete in cleverness or wit: To engage in a contest where the primary skill being tested is intelligence, ingenuity, or sharpness of mind. It implies a rivalry focused on outsmarting others through clever plans, quick thinking, or resourcefulness.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Hai công ty liên tục tranh khôn trên thị trường. (The two companies constantly compete in cleverness on the market.)
- Trong cuộc đối đầu ấy, họ không tranh sức mà tranh khôn. (In that confrontation, they didn't compete in strength but in wit.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often describes a subtle, intellectual competition, distinct from a contest of physical force () or overt conflict. It is commonly used in contexts like business, strategy, politics, or personal rivalries where cunning and strategy are paramount.
Variants and Related Words
Tranh tài (v): to compete in talent or skill.
- Các nghệ sĩ tranh tài trong cuộc thi. (The artists competed in talent in the contest.)
Tranh hùng (v): to vie for supremacy or dominance.
- Hai thế lực tranh hùng trong nhiều năm. (The two powers vied for supremacy for many years.)
Synonyms
- To have a battle of wits: To compete using intelligence and cleverness.
- To outsmart each other: To try to gain an advantage over an opponent through greater cleverness.
Related Idioms
- Khôn sống mống chết: Literally "the clever live, the foolish die"; an idiom emphasizing that cleverness and adaptability are essential for survival, closely related to the concept of .
- Xã hội ấy đúng là khôn sống mống chết. (In that society, it's truly a case of the clever live, the foolish die.)