ác nhân
Definition
- Noun:
- A wicked person; a villain; an evildoer: Refers to an individual who commits cruel, immoral, or malicious acts. This term often carries a strong moral judgment and is frequently used in literary, historical, or formal contexts.
- A scoundrel; a malevolent person: Describes a person characterized by inherent badness, cruelty, or a desire to harm others.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong truyện cổ tích, ác nhân thường bị trừng phạt. (In fairy tales, the villain is usually punished.)
- Hắn ta chính là ác nhân đứng sau vụ án. (He is the evildoer behind the case.)
- Lịch sử ghi lại tên của nhiều ác nhân. (History records the names of many wicked people.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "ác nhân" is considered somewhat archaic or literary in modern Vietnamese. It is commonly found in historical narratives, classical literature, philosophical texts, and wuxia (martial arts) stories to denote a central antagonist or a person of profound evil.
- It can be used metaphorically to describe someone seen as the source of great harm or trouble in a situation.
Variants and Related Words
Kẻ ác (n): A more common, contemporary term for a bad or evil person.
- Kẻ ác đó đã bị bắt. (That bad person has been arrested.)
Kẻ xấu (n): A general term for a bad person, often implying malicious intent.
- Hãy tránh xa những kẻ xấu. (Stay away from bad people.)
Kẻ gian ác (n): Emphasizes both cunning and wickedness (villainous, treacherous person).
Synonyms
- Villain: A character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.
- Evildoer: A person who does evil or harmful things.
- Malefactor: A person who commits a crime or some other wrong.
- Scoundrel: A dishonest or unscrupulous person.
Related Idioms
- Ác giả ác báo: Evil begets evil; what goes around comes around. This proverb is often used in the context of an "ác nhân" receiving their deserved punishment.
- Ác nhân ấy cuối cùng cũng ác giả ác báo. (That evildoer finally faced retribution—evil begets evil.)