World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionaries폭력배
Pronunciation / Transliteration: pong-ryeok-bae
"경찰은 상인들을 괴롭히는 폭력배를 소탕했다."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A violent, aggressive, or brutal criminal, often associated with gang activity or street violence.
"The local store owner was threatened by a group of thugs demanding protection money." - 2
An aggressive and intimidating person who acts as a bully or enforcer.
"Political thugs disrupted the peaceful rally and intimidated the speakers."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Hindi word 'thag' (थग), meaning 'swindler' or 'thief', which ultimately traces back to Sanskrit 'sthagita' meaning 'concealed' or 'fraudulent'. The term gained widespread currency in English during the British colonial rule in India in the 19th century, originally referring to members of a notorious organized fraternity of ritual stranglers and robbers before broadening to mean a violent criminal or ruffian.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Thug"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Thug" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
voyou
Transliteration: /vwaja/
"La police a arrêté un voyou notoire dans le quartier."
Schläger
Transliteration: /ˈʃlɛːɡɐ/
"Die Gruppe von Schlägern wurde von der Polizei festgenommen."
teppista
Transliteration: /tepˈpista/
"Un gruppo di teppisti ha vandalizzato la fermata dell'autobus."
matón
Transliteration: /maˈton/
"El matón del vecindario finalmente fue confrontado por los residentes."
bandido
Transliteration: /bɐ̃ˈdidu/
"O bandido fugiu antes que a polícia pudesse chegar."
गुंडा
Transliteration: gundā
"पुलिस ने इलाके के एक कुख्यात गुंडे को गिरफ्तार कर लिया है।"
暴徒
Transliteration: bàotú
"这群暴徒在市中心制造了骚乱。"
폭력배
Transliteration: pong-ryeok-bae
"경찰은 상인들을 괴롭히는 폭력배를 소탕했다."
暴漢
Transliteration: bōkan
"夜道で暴漢に襲われそうになったところを助けられた。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
View all Korean termsExplore Nuanced Synonyms for "Thug"
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