Definition

1. Verb:
   • To gamble: To play games of chance for money or other stakes. This is the primary and most common meaning.
   • To wager, to bet: To risk money on an uncertain outcome.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta bị bắt vì đánh bạc. (He was arrested for gambling.)
  • Đánh bạc là một hành vi bị cấm ở nhiều quốc gia. (Gambling is a prohibited activity in many countries.)
  • Họ thường đánh bạc vào cuối tuần. (They often gamble on weekends.)

Advanced Usage

• "đánh bạc ăn thua": To gamble where there is a clear winner and loser, emphasizing the competitive and risky nature.
  • Trò chơi đó không còn là giải trí nữa mà là đánh bạc ăn thua. (That game is no longer entertainment but serious gambling with high stakes.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cờ bạc (noun): Gambling (as an activity or vice). Often used in a broader, sometimes more negative context.
  • Nghiện cờ bạc có thể phá hủy gia đình. (Gambling addiction can destroy families.)
• Bài bạc (noun): Card gambling; gambling games using cards.
  • Quán đó là nơi tụ tập để chơi bài bạc. (That shop is a gathering place for card gambling.)

Synonyms

• Cá cược (verb): To bet, to wager (often used for sports betting or more specific stakes).
• Đánh cuộc (verb): To make a bet, to wager (can be used for gambling but also for non-monetary bets).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a verb, "đánh bạc" itself is typically not broken into phrasal verbs in Vietnamese. The action is generally expressed through the verb plus an object or context.

Related Idioms

• "Cờ bạc là bác thằng bần": (Literally: Gambling is the uncle of the poor man). An idiom meaning gambling leads to poverty.
  • Anh nên nghe câu "cờ bạc là bác thằng bần" mà tránh xa nó ra. (You should heed the saying "gambling leads to poverty" and stay away from it.)
• "Đánh bạc quen tay, ngủ ngày quen mắt": (Literally: Gambling becomes a habit of the hand, sleeping by day becomes a habit of the eye). An idiom criticizing the formation of bad habits.

1. Gamble