Definition

Verb: - To harm or kill someone secretly or treacherously: The core meaning of "ám hại" is to secretly plot against, harm, or assassinate someone. It implies a malicious, covert, and often premeditated action intended to cause serious injury or death. - To sabotage or undermine surreptitiously: In a broader or more figurative sense, it can mean to secretly undermine or sabotage someone's position, reputation, or efforts.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Kẻ thù âm mưu ám hại vị tướng. (The enemy plotted to assassinate the general.)
  • Hắn bị ám hại bằng một liều thuốc độc. (He was secretly killed with a dose of poison.)
  • Đừng tin hắn, hắn có thể âm thầm ám hại danh tiếng của anh. (Don't trust him; he could secretly sabotage your reputation.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bị ám hại": to be the victim of a secret plot/assassination.
  • Nhà hoạt động chính trị bị ám hại ngay tại nhà riêng. (The political activist was assassinated right in his own home.)
• "Âm mưu ám hại": to plot/ conspire to assassinate.
  • Cảnh sát đã ngăn chặn một âm mưu ám hại. (The police thwarted an assassination plot.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ám sát (verb): To assassinate. This is a more direct synonym, often used for political or targeted killings.
  • Tổng thống bị ám sát. (The president was assassinated.)
• Hãm hại (verb): To harm, to victimize. This shares the meaning of causing harm but is not always as secretive or fatal as "ám hại".
  • Bọn lừa đảo hãm hại nhiều người già. (The scammers victimized many elderly people.)

Synonyms

• Assassinate: To murder (a prominent person) by sudden or secret attack.
• Murder secretly: To kill someone clandestinely.
• Sabotage: To deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct, especially in a covert manner.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: As "ám hại" is a single Vietnamese verb, it does not have direct phrasal verb equivalents. The concepts are expressed through verb phrases.) - To plot against someone: Âm mưu chống lại/hại ai. - To do someone in (slang): Giết/ hại ai.

Related Idioms

• "Giết người không dao": (To kill without a knife). This idiom describes harming or ruining someone through cunning, words, or schemes, which aligns with the covert and treacherous nature of "ám hại".
  • Lời nói độc địa của hắn như kiểu giết người không dao. (His malicious words are like killing without a knife.)

verb

1. To attempt the life of