ức hiếp
Definition
- Verb:
- To bully: To use superior strength or influence to intimidate or harm someone perceived as weaker.
- To oppress: To treat someone in a cruel and unfair way, often using authority unjustly.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Bọn trẻ lớn không nên ức hiếp trẻ nhỏ. (Older children should not bully younger ones.)
- Không ai có quyền ức hiếp người khác tại nơi làm việc. (No one has the right to bully others in the workplace.)
- Chính quyền độc tài đó thường ức hiếp người dân. (That tyrannical government often oppresses the people.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often implies a power imbalance, where the perpetrator has some form of advantage (physical, social, hierarchical) over the victim.
- It can describe actions ranging from verbal intimidation and threats to physical violence and systemic abuse of power.
Variants and Related Words
- Bắt nạt (v): A very common synonym for "to bully," often used in everyday contexts, especially among children.
- Nó hay bắt nạt bạn cùng lớp. (He often bullies his classmates.)
- Hành hạ (v): To torment or to maltreat; implies causing physical or mental suffering.
- Hành hạ động vật là tàn ác. (Tormenting animals is cruel.)
Synonyms
- Bully: To seek to harm, intimidate, or coerce someone perceived as vulnerable.
- Oppress: To keep someone in subservience and hardship, especially by the unjust exercise of authority.
- Tyramize: To rule or treat someone with cruel and arbitrary power.
Related Idioms
- Ức hiếp kẻ yếu: To bully the weak.
- Hành động ức hiếp kẻ yếu là đáng khinh. (The act of bullying the weak is despicable.)
- Cậy mạnh hiếp yếu: To rely on one's strength to bully the weak (a common four-word idiom).
- Chính sách đó chẳng khác nào cậy mạnh hiếp yếu. (That policy is no different from using strength to bully the weak.)