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.)