xiềng xích
Definition
Noun:
- Shackles; fetters; chains: Physical restraints, typically made of metal, used to bind the ankles or wrists of a prisoner or captive to restrict movement.
- Figurative: Yoke; bonds; chains of oppression: Anything that restricts freedom, subjugates, or imposes severe control, such as tyranny, colonialism, or oppressive traditions.
Verb:
- To shackle; to chain; to fetter: The act of physically binding someone with chains or, figuratively, of imposing restrictive control.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Âm thanh của xiềng xích vang lên trong ngục tối. (The sound of shackles echoed in the dark prison.)
- Nhân dân đứng lên phá bỏ mọi xiềng xích. (The people rose up to break all chains of oppression.)
Verb:
- Bọn chúng xiềng xích tù nhân lại. (They shackled the prisoners.)
- Những tư tưởng lạc hậu xiềng xích con người. (Outdated ideas shackle people.)
Advanced Usage
- Often used in political, social, and poetic contexts to symbolize loss of liberty and the struggle for freedom. The plural form "xiềng xích" is commonly used even for a single set of chains.
Variants and Related Words
Xiềng (n/v): Often used interchangeably with "xiềng xích," but can sometimes refer specifically to leg irons or a simpler chain.
- Họ tra xiềng vào chân anh ta. (They put leg irons on him.)
Xích (n): A chain (general term for a metal chain, not necessarily for restraint). Can be a component of the compound word "xiềng xích."
- Xích xe đạp. (Bicycle chain.)
Synonyms
- Shackles/Fetters/Chains (for the physical object).
- Yoke/Bonds/Enslavement (for the figurative meaning).
Related Idioms and Phrases
Phá bỏ xiềng xích: To break the chains/shackles; to liberate oneself from oppression.
- Cuộc cách mạng thành công trong việc phá bỏ xiềng xích. (The revolution succeeded in breaking the chains.)
Mang xiềng xích: To bear/wear chains; to be enslaved or subjugated.
- Cả dân tộc không cam tâm mang xiềng xích. (The entire nation refused to willingly bear the chains.)