được làm vua, thua làm giặc
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
might makes right; the winner is always in the right and the loser is always in the wrong.
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
“Được làm vua, thua làm giặc” câu thành ngữ gắn liền với số phận nghiệt ngã của những vị tướng đã chọn cách đặt tương lai của cuộc đời mình vào tài năng binh lược.“The winner becomes the king and the loser becomes the outlaw”, the idiom which is closely linked to the tragic fates of generals who had placed their future in their military talents.
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
might makes right
Those with more power or strength will dominate or prevail
English
Near equivalent
thắng làm vua, thua làm giặc
might makes right; the winner is always in the right and the loser is always in the wrong.
Tiếng Việt · via might makes right
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “được làm vua, thua làm giặc” mean?
might makes right; the winner is always in the right and the loser is always in the wrong.
Is “được làm vua, thua làm giặc” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“might makes right” (English) — near equivalent.