xâm lăng
Definition
Verb:
- To invade: To enter a country, region, or area by force with the intent to conquer, occupy, or subjugate it. This is the primary and most common meaning.
- To encroach upon: To intrude upon or violate something, such as rights, privacy, or territory, in a gradual or aggressive manner.
Noun:
- Invasion: The act or instance of invading. Often used in the compound form "cuộc xâm lăng" (the invasion).
Usage Examples
Verb:
- Lịch sử ghi lại nhiều lần nước lớn xâm lăng nước nhỏ. (History records many instances of large nations invading small ones.)
- Công ty đó bị cáo buộc xâm lăng quyền riêng tư của người dùng. (That company is accused of encroaching upon users' privacy.)
Noun:
- Cuộc xâm lăng đó đã thay đổi hoàn toàn vận mệnh dân tộc. (That invasion completely changed the nation's destiny.)
Advanced Usage
- The term carries a strong negative connotation of unjust aggression and is primarily used in political, historical, and military contexts.
- It implies a serious violation of sovereignty and is distinct from more neutral terms like "tiến vào" (to enter).
Variants and Related Words
Kẻ xâm lăng / Quân xâm lăng (n): Invader(s). Refers specifically to the invading force or person.
- Kẻ xâm lăng cuối cùng cũng bị đánh bại. (The invaders were finally defeated.)
Sự xâm lăng (n): The act of invasion. A more formal nominal form.
- Xâm lược (v/n): A near-synonym, often used interchangeably with "xâm lăng," though "xâm lược" can sometimes sound slightly more formal or literary.
Synonyms
- Invade: To enter by force.
- Encroach: To intrude gradually.
- Overrun: To spread over and occupy in great numbers.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Xâm lăng văn hóa: Cultural invasion. Refers to the dominant influence of one culture over another, often seen as undermining local traditions.
- Một số người coi phim ảnh nước ngoài ồ ạt là một hình thức xâm lăng văn hóa. (Some people consider the flood of foreign movies a form of cultural invasion.)