bịt miệng

/ɓɨ́t miə̂ŋ/◆idiom

to silence someone

Anh ấy cố gắng bịt miệng cô ấy khi cô ấy muốn nói về vấn đề đó.

He tried to silence her when she wanted to talk about the issue.

◆ What It Really Means

To silence someone or prevent them from speaking, often by force or intimidation.

¶ Literal Meaning

To plug or cover someone's mouth.

Literal Breakdown

bịtto plug or cover+miệngmouth

◇ Mental Image

The mental image is of physically covering someone's mouth to prevent them from speaking, which is metaphorically extended to silencing someone's voice or opinions.

◈ When to Use

In a political debate, a speaker might accuse the opposing side of trying to bịt miệng them to prevent them from expressing their views.

◉ Cultural Note

This phrase reflects the cultural value of free speech and the negative perception of censorship or oppression in Vietnamese society.

informal

To prevent someone from speaking or expressing their opinions, often by force or intimidation.

Bộ phận quản lý cố gắng bịt miệng những người phàn nàn.

The management tried to silence the complainers.

Cô ấy không thể chịu được khi bịt miệng.

She couldn't stand being silenced.

This phrase is often used in contexts where someone is being oppressed or their voice is being suppressed.

Collocations

bịt miệng ai đóto silence someonebịt miệng một vấn đềto suppress an issue

Synonyms

im hơi khóa miệng bắt phải im

Antonyms

để nói cho phép nói thả miệng

Related Phrases

im hơiphrase

to be quiet

khóa miệngphrase

to shut someone up

Pro Tip

Context Matters

This phrase is often used in negative contexts where someone is being oppressed or their voice is being suppressed.

Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

This phrase is strong and should be used carefully, as it implies force or intimidation.

Word Origin

The phrase comes from the literal act of covering someone's mouth to prevent them from speaking, metaphorically extended to silencing someone's voice or opinions.

Usage Notes

This phrase is often used in political, social, or workplace contexts where someone's voice is being suppressed. It can carry negative connotations of oppression or censorship.

Word Breakdown

bịt

to plug or cover

root

miệng

mouth

root

Từ Điển Việt Anh

Browse more Vietnamese→English words →