Definition

1. Verb:
   • To lead a wandering/tumultuous life; to roam about: The core meaning of "bôn ba" describes moving from place to place, often over difficult journeys and through hardships, typically for a purpose such as work, survival, or a cause. It implies a life of constant movement and struggle.
   • To be active/busy; to rush about: In some contexts, it conveys the sense of being constantly active, bustling, or busily engaged in tasks, often across different locations.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ông ấy đã bôn ba khắp nơi tìm kế sinh nhai. (He roamed everywhere to find a livelihood.)
  • Những năm tháng bôn ba ở nước ngoài đã rèn giũa ý chí của anh. (The years of wandering abroad tempered his will.)
  • Bà chủ cửa hàng luôn tất bật bôn ba. (The shop owner is always bustling and busy.)

Advanced Usage

• "bôn ba khắp chốn" / "bôn ba khắp nơi": to roam all over; to wander everywhere.
  • Vì công việc, anh ấy phải bôn ba khắp nơi. (Because of his job, he has to roam all over the place.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bôn tẩu (v): A more formal/literary synonym, also meaning to be active and move around for a purpose, often political or revolutionary.
  • Ông dành cả đời bôn tẩu vì sự nghiệp cách mạng. (He devoted his whole life to active work for the revolutionary cause.)

Synonyms

• To wander: to travel aimlessly or without a fixed course.
• To roam: to move about or travel without a definite destination or purpose.
• To lead a nomadic life: to live by moving from place to place.
• To be peripatetic: traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for short periods.

Related Idioms

• Bôn ba tứ xứ: to wander to the four corners of the earth; to roam far and wide.
  • Tuổi trẻ anh từng bôn ba tứ xứ. (In his youth, he once roamed far and wide.)
• Cuộc đời bôn ba: a tumultuous/wandering life.
  • Cuộc đời bôn ba của người nghệ sĩ. (The wandering life of the artist.)

verb

1. To scurry (qua nhiều chặng đường vất vả)
2. To tramp about through thick and thin