Definition

1. Verb:
   • To threaten, to intimidate: To use power, force, or a show of strength to coerce someone into fear and submission.
   • To menace, to bully: To act in a way that is intended to frighten or overpower someone, often to gain an advantage or force compliance.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Kẻ tấn công dùng vũ khí để uy hiếp nạn nhân. (The attacker used a weapon to intimidate the victim.)
  • Chính phủ cáo buộc nước láng giềng có hành động uy hiếp quân sự. (The government accused the neighboring country of military intimidation.)
  • Bọn côn đồ thường xuyên uy hiếp các tiểu thương trong khu chợ. (The thugs regularly bully the small vendors in the market area.)

Advanced Usage

• "uy hiếp tinh thần": to psychologically intimidate, to mentally terrorize.

  • Những lời đe dọa liên tục là một hình thức uy hiếp tinh thần. (Continuous threats are a form of psychological intimidation.)

• "bị uy hiếp": to be threatened/intimidated.

  • Nhân chứng khai rằng họ bị uy hiếp không được nói ra sự thật. (The witnesses testified that they were threatened not to tell the truth.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đe dọa (verb): to threaten. (Often used more generally for threats, while "uy hiếp" implies a more direct use of force or power.)
• Hăm dọa (verb): to menace, to threaten. (Similar to "đe dọa".)
• Khủng bố (verb): to terrorize. (Implies causing extreme fear, often on a larger scale.)

Synonyms

• Hăm he: to make threatening gestures, to bluster.
• Bắt nạt: to bully. (Commonly used, especially for less severe or more personal contexts like school bullying.)

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: As a single verb, "uy hiếp" does not commonly form phrasal verbs in the same way English verbs do. Its meaning is typically expressed through combinations with objects or other verbs.) - Đi uy hiếp: to go and intimidate. - Chúng đi uy hiếp các hộ kinh doanh để thu tiền bảo kê. (They go to intimidate businesses to collect protection money.)

Related Idioms

• Lấy thịt đè người: to use one's power/advantage to bully others. (An idiom describing a similar concept of overpowering someone weaker.)
  • Hắn ta giàu có và thường lấy thịt đè người, uy hiếp những người xung quanh. (He is wealthy and often uses his advantage to bully and intimidate those around him.)

verb

1. to bully, to overwhelm, to tread on the neck of;