tóm cổ
Definition
Verb (colloquial, often figurative):
- To catch / to nab / to grab by the collar: The primary meaning is to physically seize or apprehend someone, often by the neck or collar, implying a sudden, forceful, or authoritative capture.
- To catch red-handed / to bust: Used to describe catching someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
Verb (extended, informal usage):
- To corner / to pin down: Can mean to successfully confront or detain someone (physically or in conversation) to get an answer, a commitment, or to stop them from evading.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cảnh sát tóm cổ tên trộm ngay tại hiện trường. (The police nabbed the thief right at the scene.)
- Tôi định trốn học nhưng bị mẹ tóm cổ. (I tried to skip school but my mom caught me red-handed.)
- Cuối cùng tôi cũng tóm cổ được anh ta để hỏi cho rõ chuyện. (I finally managed to corner him to get a clear answer.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is highly informal and carries a vivid, somewhat rough connotation. It is commonly used in spoken language, journalism, and narratives for dramatic effect. It is not used in formal writing or polite conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Tóm (v): to catch, to seize. A more general and slightly less forceful/vivid term than "tóm cổ."
- Cô ấy tóm lấy cơ hội. (She seized the opportunity.)
Synonyms
- Apprehend: to arrest.
- Catch: to capture or discover.
- Nab: to catch or seize suddenly.
- Bust: (slang) to catch someone in wrongdoing and often to arrest them.
Related Idioms
- Tóm cổ bắt quả tang: to catch someone in the act, to catch red-handed. This is a common reinforcing phrase.
- Bảo vệ tóm cổ bắt quả tang kẻ phá hoại. (The security guard caught the vandal red-handed.)