Definition

1. Verb:
   • To repay a favor; to return a kindness: The act of expressing gratitude or returning a benefit to someone who has previously helped or shown kindness to you. It implies a sense of moral obligation to reciprocate good deeds.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy đã giúp tôi lúc khó khăn, tôi phải tìm cách đền ơn. (He helped me when I was in trouble, I must find a way to repay his kindness.)
  • Con cái có bổn phận đền ơn đáp nghĩa cha mẹ. (Children have a duty to repay the debt of gratitude to their parents.)

Advanced Usage

• "Đền ơn đáp nghĩa": A common four-word idiom meaning "to repay favors and return kindnesses," emphasizing a deep sense of gratitude and moral reciprocity, often used in the context of filial piety or lifelong debts of gratitude.
  • Sống trên đời phải biết đền ơn đáp nghĩa. (In life, one must know how to repay favors and return kindnesses.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đáp nghĩa (verb): To return a kindness; to reciprocate a righteous or kind act. Often used in conjunction with "đền ơn."
• Báo ơn (verb): To require, to repay a favor. Similar in meaning but can sometimes imply a more formal or specific act of repayment.
• Trả ơn (verb): To give back in return for a favor; to thank someone by returning a kindness.

Synonyms

• Repay a debt of gratitude: To return a favor out of thankfulness.
• Requite: To make appropriate return for (a benefit, service, etc.); to repay.

Related Phrases

• Ơn nghĩa (noun): Favor, kindness, benevolence. Refers to the act of kindness itself that creates the debt.
  • Không bao giờ quên ơn nghĩa thầy cô. (Never forget the kindness of teachers.)

Related Idioms

• Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây: Literally "When eating the fruit, remember the one who planted the tree." This idiom teaches the principle of gratitude and repaying those who have helped you, closely related to the concept of "đền ơn."
  • Câu tục ngữ "Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây" dạy chúng ta phải biết đền ơn. (The proverb "When eating the fruit, remember the one who planted the tree" teaches us to know how to repay kindness.)

1. Repay (someone)for his favour