ăn chằng

Definition

1. Verb (colloquial, informal):
   • To not pay what one owes; to default on a debt or payment. This refers to intentionally avoiding payment for goods, services, or money borrowed.
   • To not return something one has taken from others; to keep something that belongs to someone else without permission or justification.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hắn mượn tiền rồi ăn chằng, không trả lại. (He borrowed money and then defaulted, not paying it back.)
  • Đừng tin hắn, hắn hay ăn chằng lắm. (Don't trust him; he often doesn't pay what he owes.)
  • Nó ăn chằng quyển sách của tôi. (He kept my book and didn't return it.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "ăn chằng" is considered informal and carries a strongly negative connotation, implying dishonesty and a lack of integrity. It is often used in spoken language to criticize someone's untrustworthy behavior regarding debts or possessions.

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn quỵt (v, informal): to swindle, to cheat someone out of money or goods; to refuse to pay a debt. This is a very close synonym.
  • Cửa hàng đó bị tố ăn quỵt tiền của nhân viên. (That store was accused of cheating employees out of their money.)

Synonyms

• To default: to fail to pay a debt.
• To welsh/welch (on a debt): to cheat by not paying a debt (informal).
• To keep something without returning it: to not give back a borrowed item.

Related Idioms

• Ăn không trả: This phrase literally means "to take without returning" and shares a similar meaning with "ăn chằng", describing the act of using or taking something with no intention of giving it back or compensating for it.
  • Thói quen ăn không trả của anh ta khiến mọi người khó chịu. (His habit of taking things without returning them annoys everyone.)