ỷ lại
[ʔi˧˩ laːj˧˨ʔ]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(verb) to be overreliant on something
VerbConnotation: offensive or derogatory to many
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
quen thói ỷ lạito be too used to being reliant on something
Vả lại, mẹ thường bảo chúng tôi rằng: “[…] Con cái mà cứ nhong nhóng ăn bám vào bố mẹ thì chỉ sinh ra tính ỷ lại, xấu lắm, rồi ra đời không làm nên trò trống gì đâu.”Besides, my mother used to tell her children, “[…] Children who are a burden to their parents develop parasitic habits and will grow up into ne’er-do-wells.”
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 ↗
Common questions
What does “ỷ lại” mean?
(verb) to be overreliant on something
Is “ỷ lại” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.