bội ước

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The Vietnamese word "bội ước" refers to the act of breaking a promise or failing to fulfill a commitment. It describes a situation where someone does not live up to their pledge or agreement.

Basic Explanation:

• Meaning: To break one's promise; not to live up to one's pledge.
• Usage: It is often used when someone has agreed to do something but then fails to do it.

Example:

• Sentence: "Khi anh ấy hứa sẽ giúp tôi nhưng lại không đến, đó là một hành động bội ước."
  • (Translation: "When he promised to help me but didn’t show up, that was an act of breaking a promise.")

Advanced Usage:

You might encounter "bội ước" in more formal contexts, such as legal discussions or when talking about business agreements. It can emphasize the seriousness of failing to keep one's word, especially when it has significant consequences.

Word Variants:

• You can also consider the phrase "bội ước hứa" which emphasizes the act of breaking a specific promise, or "bội ước hợp đồng" referring to breaking a contract.

Different Meanings:

While "bội ước" primarily means to break a promise, it can also imply a deeper sense of betrayal or dishonesty, especially if the agreement was significant.

Synonyms:

• Phá vỡ hợp đồng: to break a contract.
• Không giữ lời hứa: not keeping one’s promise.
• Lừa dối: to deceive (in a broader sense).

Additional Context:

The saying "ký chưa ráo mực, đã bội ước" means that the ink of the signatures on the agreement had hardly dried when it was broken. This emphasizes the immediacy and perhaps the dishonesty involved in breaking a promise right after it was made.

Academic

1. To break one's promise, not to live up to one's pledge
   • một hành động bội ước
     a break of pledge
   • ký chưa ráo mực, đã bội ước
     the ink of the signatures on the agreement had hardly dried when it was broken