Definition

1. Noun:
   • Termite nest; termitary: A structure built by termites as their dwelling and colony. It is typically made from soil, saliva, feces, and chewed wood, and can be found in trees, underground, or as mounds above ground.
   • Figurative: A den; a hotbed; a nest: Used metaphorically to describe a place that is the source or center of something negative, such as crime, corruption, or social problems.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Người nông dân phá ổ mối trong vườn. (The farmer destroyed the termite nest in the garden.)
  • Cảnh sát đột kích vào ổ mối tội phạm. (The police raided the criminal den.)
  • Tòa nhà bỏ hoang đã trở thành một ổ mối. (The abandoned building had become a hotbed of trouble.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in journalism and formal reports to critically describe the origin point of societal ills.
  • Khu ổ chuột đó được coi là ổ mối của dịch bệnh. (That slum is considered a hotbed of disease.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tổ mối (n): This is a common variant with the same meaning as "ổ mối" (termite nest; hotbed).

Synonyms

• Termitarium: The scientific term for a termite nest.
• Hotbed: A place where something (especially something unwanted) flourishes.
• Den: A secret place where people meet for illegal or immoral activities.

Related Idioms

• Phá ổ mối: Literally "to destroy a termite nest." Figuratively means to dismantle or eradicate a source of a persistent problem.
  • Chính quyền quyết tâm phá ổ mối tham nhũng. (The government is determined to eradicate the nest of corruption.)

noun

1. termitary; termitarium