Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To engage in trade; to do business: The primary meaning of "đi buôn" is to travel or go somewhere for the purpose of buying and selling goods, often involving a journey. It implies commercial activity, typically on a small to medium scale or as an individual trader.
   • To become a merchant/trader: It can describe the act of entering the profession of commerce.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Ông ấy đi buôn ở vùng biên giới. (He goes to trade in the border region.)
  • Cô ấy bỏ việc văn phòng để đi buôn. (She quit her office job to go into business.)
  • Ngày xưa, người ta thường đi buôn bằng thuyền. (In the past, people often traveled by boat to trade.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a connotation of mobility, risk, and the physical transport of goods. It is less formal than "kinh doanh" (to do business/operate a company).

Variants and Related Words

• Buôn bán (v): to trade, to buy and sell. This is a more general term for trading activity, not necessarily involving travel.

  • Họ buôn bán ở chợ địa phương. (They trade at the local market.)

• Thương buôn / Nhà buôn (n): merchant, trader.

  • Ông ta là một thương buôn giàu có. (He is a wealthy merchant.)

Synonyms

• To trade: to buy and sell goods and services.
• To deal in: to buy and sell a particular type of product.
• To go into commerce: to start a business in trade.

Related Idioms

• Đi buôn đi bán: to be deeply involved in trading activities; emphasizes the continuous, active nature of being a trader.

  • Cả gia đình họ sống bằng nghề đi buôn đi bán. (Their whole family makes a living from trading.)

• Buôn gian bán lận: to trade dishonestly, to engage in fraudulent business.

  • Cửa hàng đó bị phát hiện buôn gian bán lận. (That store was found to be trading dishonestly.)