tội đồ
Definition
- Noun:
- A convict; a person sentenced to imprisonment or penal servitude: This is the primary legal and historical meaning, referring to an individual who has been convicted of a crime and is serving a sentence, often involving hard labor or confinement.
- A criminal; a wrongdoer: In a broader, more figurative sense, it can refer to someone who has committed serious wrongs or sins, carrying a connotation of grave moral failure.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Nhà tù giam giữ nhiều tội đồ. (The prison holds many convicts.)
- Hắn bị kết án và trở thành một tội đồ. (He was sentenced and became a convict.)
- Trong mắt cô, anh ta là một tội đồ không thể tha thứ. (In her eyes, he was an unforgivable sinner.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in historical or literary contexts to describe figures who bear great guilt for a tragic event or moral catastrophe.
- Hắn trở thành tội đồ của lịch sử. (He became a scapegoat/sinner of history.)
Variants and Related Words
Tội phạm (n): criminal, offender. This is the standard modern term for a criminal.
- Cảnh sát đã bắt giữ tội phạm. (The police arrested the criminal.)
Tù nhân (n): prisoner, inmate. A more general term for anyone imprisoned.
- Các tù nhân được phép tập thể dục. (The prisoners are allowed to exercise.)
Synonyms
- Convict: A person found guilty of a crime and serving a sentence.
- Felon: A person who has committed a serious crime.
- Wrongdoer: A person who behaves illegally or immorally.
- Sinner: A person who transgresses against divine or moral law.
Related Idioms
- Mang tội đồ: To bear the guilt/blame of a sinner. This phrase emphasizes carrying the burden of a great wrong.
- Anh ấy cảm thấy mình đang mang tội đồ vì quyết định sai lầm đó. (He feels he is bearing the guilt of a sinner because of that wrong decision.)