English · Phrasal verb Attested

pick on

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To bully, harass, or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

hành hạ, quấy rối

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Hey! Quit picking on your brother.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To select (a person) for a task, etc.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

chọn cho một nhiệm vụ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

What does “pick on” mean?

To bully, harass, or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

Is “pick on” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.