trùm sỏ

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A crime boss; a ringleader; a top leader of a criminal organization or syndicate. This term specifically refers to the supreme leader who controls and directs major illegal activities.
   • A mastermind; a chief instigator. It can be extended to describe the principal person behind any large-scale, often clandestine, operation, not necessarily criminal, but typically with negative connotations.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cảnh sát đã bắt giữ trùm sỏ của đường dây buôn lậu. (The police arrested the crime boss of the smuggling ring.)
  • Hắn ta bị nghi ngờ là trùm sỏ đằng sau vụ thao túng thị trường. (He is suspected of being the mastermind behind the market manipulation.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is informal and carries a strong pejorative sense. It is often used in journalism and colloquial speech to emphasize the power, influence, and illicit nature of the person's leadership.

Variants and Related Words

• Đầu sỏ (n): ringleader; chief culprit. This is a direct synonym and the term referenced in the source note ("như đầu sỏ").
  • Kẻ đầu sỏ của âm mưu đã bị lộ mặt. (The ringleader of the plot has been exposed.)

Synonyms

• Crime lord: a person who controls a large criminal organization.
• Kingpin: the most important person in a group or undertaking, especially in crime.
• Mastermind: a person who plans and directs a complex project or activity, often secretly.

Related Idioms

• While "trùm sỏ" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it is conceptually related to phrases describing criminal leadership, such as "cầm đầu" (to lead, often a negative group).
  • Băng nhóm đó do một trùm sỏ cầm đầu. (That gang is led by a crime boss.)