Definition

1. Noun:
   • Favor, grace, kindness, benefit: "Ơn" refers to a kind or helpful act done for someone, or a blessing/grace received, often implying a sense of gratitude is owed.
   • Divine grace, blessing: In a religious or spiritual context, "ơn" specifically denotes grace or favor bestowed by a divine power or heaven.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Tôi mang ơn anh ấy vì sự giúp đỡ đó. (I am indebted to him for that help.)
  • Xin cảm ơn ơn trời đã cho mưa thuận gió hòa. (Thank heavens for the favorable weather.)
  • Làm ơn mắc oán. (To do a favor and earn resentment instead. - A proverb.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ơn huệ": A more formal or literary term for favor, grace, or benevolence.
  • Ông ấy ban cho tôi nhiều ơn huệ. (He bestowed many favors upon me.)
• "Mang ơn": To be indebted to someone, to owe a debt of gratitude.
  • Tôi sẽ không bao giờ quên ơn những người đã giúp tôi. (I will never forget the debt I owe to those who helped me.)
• "Ơn nghĩa": Kindness and righteousness; refers to deep moral obligations, often within relationships.
  • Ơn nghĩa thầy trò. (The debt of gratitude between teacher and student.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ân (n): A synonym for "ơn", meaning favor, grace, kindness. Often used in compound words or formal contexts.
  • Ân nhân (benefactor), ân tình (kindness, sentimental debt).
• Ơn trên (n): A term referring to divine grace or blessings from above (heaven, God).
  • Cầu xin ơn trên phù hộ. (Pray for divine protection.)
• Ơn nghĩa (n): As above, signifies kindness and moral obligation.

Synonyms

• Ân huệ: Favor, grace (more formal/literary).
• Lòng tốt: Goodwill, kindness (more general, less connotative of debt).
• Đặc ân: Privilege, special favor.

Related Phrases

• Trả ơn: To repay a favor, to return a kindness.
  • Tôi muốn tìm cách trả ơn anh. (I want to find a way to repay your kindness.)
• Đền ơn đáp nghĩa: To require favors and repay righteousness; to repay debts of gratitude (a set phrase).
  • Con cái phải biết đền ơn đáp nghĩa cha mẹ. (Children must know how to repay their parents' kindness.)

Related Idioms

• Ăn cháo đá bát: Literally "to eat the porridge and kick the bowl"; to be ungrateful, to bite the hand that feeds you. This is a consequence related to not recognizing "ơn".
  • Hắn ta thật là kẻ ăn cháo đá bát. (He is truly an ungrateful person.)
• Ơn cha nghĩa mẹ: The profound grace of the father and righteousness of the mother; the immense debt owed to one's parents.
  • Con cái phải nhớ ơn cha nghĩa mẹ. (Children must remember the debt they owe their parents.)

noun

1. favour
   • làm ơn mắc oán
     to do a favour and earn resentment instead