Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To rent (a place to live), to live as a tenant: The phrase "ở thuê" describes the action of paying money to live in a property (like a house, apartment, or room) owned by someone else. It combines "ở" (to live, reside) and "thuê" (to rent, hire), specifically for residential purposes.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Gia đình tôi đang ở thuê một căn hộ nhỏ ở trung tâm thành phố. (My family is renting a small apartment in the city center.)
  • Sinh viên thường phải ở thuê vì ký túc xá không đủ chỗ. (Students often have to live in rented accommodation because the dormitories are not sufficient.)
  • Họ đã ở thuê nhà của bà ấy được hơn mười năm. (They have been living as tenants in her house for over ten years.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "ở thuê" inherently implies a residential context. It is not used for renting vehicles, equipment, or commercial spaces.
• It often carries a nuance of temporariness or lack of ownership, contrasting with "ở nhà mình" (to live in one's own house).

Variants and Related Words

• Thuê nhà (verb phrase): To rent a house. This is a very close synonym but can sometimes refer to the act of securing the rental agreement itself, while "ở thuê" emphasizes the ongoing state of living there.
• Ở mướn (verb phrase): An older or Southern Vietnamese variant with the same meaning as "ở thuê". (Note: As per the reference, "ở thuê" is defined as "như ở mướn").
• Người thuê nhà / Người ở thuê (noun): Tenant, renter.
• Chủ nhà cho thuê (noun): Landlord, lessor.

Synonyms

• Sống trong nhà thuê: To live in a rented house.
• Là người thuê nhà: To be a tenant.

Related Phrases / Collocations

• Hợp đồng ở thuê / Hợp đồng thuê nhà: Rental lease, tenancy agreement.
  • Trước khi chuyển vào, hai bên ký hợp đồng ở thuê rõ ràng. (Before moving in, both parties signed a clear rental lease.)
• Tiền ở thuê / Tiền thuê nhà: Rent money.
  • Mỗi tháng, anh ấy đều trả tiền ở thuê đúng hạn. (Every month, he pays the rent on time.)

Notes on Different Meanings

• The word "thuê" alone has a broader meaning (to hire, rent) applicable to objects (thuê xe - to rent a car), services (thuê người - to hire a person), or venues (thuê địa điểm - to rent a venue). The phrase "ở thuê" is specific to residential living.
• The phrase does not function as a noun on its own. To refer to the concept or state, one might say "việc ở thuê" (the act of renting to live) or "cuộc sống ở thuê" (a renter's life).

1. Rent a house, live in a rented house
   • như ở mướn