Definitions

1. Verb phrase:
   • To join the (communist) army: The primary meaning refers to the specific act of enlisting or being conscripted into the military forces of the communist-led state, historically the Vietnam People's Army. It implies becoming a soldier.
   • To enlist; to enroll (in the army): A more general sense of joining the armed forces through official recruitment or conscription.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Anh trai tôi đã đi bộ đội năm 18 tuổi. (My older brother joined the army when he was 18.)
  • Sau khi tốt nghiệp, nhiều thanh niên tình nguyện đi bộ đội. (After graduation, many young men voluntarily enlisted in the army.)
  • Thời chiến tranh, "đi bộ đội" là nghĩa vụ thiêng liêng. (During the war, "joining the army" was a sacred duty.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase carries strong historical and cultural connotations, often associated with patriotism, duty, and sacrifice during the resistance wars. It is not a neutral term for joining any military.
• It can be used in a nostalgic or commemorative context when older generations recount their past.
  • Ông tôi thường kể chuyện thời đi bộ đội. (My grandfather often tells stories from his time in the army.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bộ đội (n): Soldier; army personnel. The core noun from which the phrase is derived.
  • Các chú bộ đội rất dũng cảm. (The soldiers are very brave.)
• Nhập ngũ (v): A more formal, standard term for "to enlist" or "to be drafted into the military."
  • Anh ấy đã nhập ngũ vào tháng trước. (He was drafted last month.)

Synonyms

• Gia nhập quân đội: To join the army (a more neutral, formal phrase).
• Lính (n, informal): Soldier. While not a verb, it refers to the resulting status.
  • Nó mới đi lính về. (He just returned from being a soldier.)

Related Phrases

• Lên đường nhập ngũ: To set off for military service.
  • Cả làng tiễn anh ấy lên đường nhập ngũ. (The whole village saw him off as he left for military service.)
• Hoàn thành nghĩa vụ quân sự: To complete one's military service.
  • Sau khi hoàn thành nghĩa vụ quân sự, anh ấy trở về quê. (After completing his military service, he returned to his hometown.)

Related Idioms

• Đi bộ đội itself can function idiomatically, representing a significant life event and a rite of passage for many Vietnamese men of certain generations, symbolizing maturity and contribution to the nation.

1. Join the (communist) army