ăn bậy
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To cheat or swindle (in gambling or games of chance): The primary meaning refers to dishonestly taking another person's money, especially in a gambling context, through deceit or unfair means.
- To take something that is not rightfully one's own in a shameless manner: It implies a brazen, unethical appropriation of someone else's property or money.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Hắn bị phát hiện ăn bậy trong ván bài. (He was caught cheating in the card game.)
- Không được ăn bậy tiền của người khác. (You must not shamelessly take other people's money.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase carries a strong connotation of shamelessness and lack of scruples. It is often used in contexts involving betrayal of trust within a group, such as among friends or in informal betting circles.
Variants and Related Words
- Ăn gian (v): to cheat, to act dishonestly. This is a more general term for cheating, not limited to financial contexts.
- Thí sinh đó bị đuổi vì ăn gian khi thi. (That contestant was expelled for cheating on the exam.)
Synonyms
- To swindle: to use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.
- To cheat: to act dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage, especially in a game or contest.
- To defraud: to illegally obtain money from someone by deception.
Related Idioms
- While "ăn bậy" itself is a set phrase, it relates conceptually to idioms about dishonesty, such as "ăn không nói có" (to fabricate stories; literally 'to eat what's not and say what is'), which describes lying and misrepresentation.