Definition

1. Verb (colloquial, often derogatory): - To marry or form a relationship with someone primarily for their money; to be a fortune hunter or gold digger. - To exploit someone for financial gain, especially in a romantic or marital context.

2. Verb (literal, now less common): - To mine; to work in a mine (This is the original, literal meaning but is now largely archaic in everyday usage).

Usage Examples

• Verb (figurative, modern usage):

  • Anh ta cưới cô ấy chỉ để đào mỏ gia đình giàu có. (He married her just to be a fortune hunter/to mine the wealth of her rich family.)
  • Cô ấy bị bạn trai lừa dối vì anh ta chỉ muốn đào mỏ. (She was deceived by her boyfriend because he just wanted to be a gold digger/to exploit her financially.)

• Verb (literal, historical usage):

  • Ông nội tôi ngày xưa phải đi đào mỏ than. (My grandfather had to go mine coal in the old days.)

Advanced Usage

• The figurative meaning is overwhelmingly dominant in contemporary Vietnamese. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying deceit, opportunism, and a lack of genuine affection.
• It is often used in gossip, warnings, or criticisms about relationships perceived as financially motivated.

Variants and Related Words

• Kẻ đào mỏ (noun): A fortune hunter; a gold digger.
  • Anh ta bị mọi người gọi là kẻ đào mỏ. (He is called a fortune hunter by everyone.)
• Đào vàng (verb, literal): To mine gold. (Note: This is only used literally and does not carry the figurative "gold digger" meaning like in English.)

Synonyms

• Lợi dụng (verb): To take advantage of, to exploit. (More general, not specific to romantic/financial contexts).
• Kiếm chác (verb, colloquial): To seek profit, to gain (often in an opportunistic or unethical way).

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Lấy vợ/ chồng giàu để đào mỏ: To marry a rich wife/husband to be a fortune hunter.
  • Hắn lấy vợ giàu chỉ để đào mỏ. (He married a rich wife just to be a fortune hunter.)
• The term itself, "đào mỏ", functions almost like an idiom in its modern figurative sense, as the literal action of "mining" is metaphorically applied to a person.

1. Mine, exploit
2. (cũ) Be a fortune-hunter, be a gold- digger