bươn bả

Sáng nay tôi dậy muộn nên phải bươn bả đi làm.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Hastily, hurriedly, in a rush: "bươn bả" describes an action performed with great speed and urgency, often due to a lack of time or a pressing need.
   • With effort and struggle: It can also imply exerting oneself strenuously to manage or accomplish something amidst difficulty.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Sáng nay tôi dậy muộn nên phải bươn bả đi làm. (I woke up late this morning so I had to rush to work.)
  • Cô ấy bươn bả chuẩn bị bữa tối cho cả gia đình. (She hurriedly prepared dinner for the whole family.)
  • Anh ấy bươn bả làm việc để kiếm tiền nuôi con. (He works strenuously to earn money to raise his children.)

Advanced Usage

• "bươn bả lo toan": to struggle busily with worries and tasks.
  • Người mẹ trẻ bươn bả lo toan cho cuộc sống mưu sinh. (The young mother struggles busily with worries about making a living.)
• "bươn bả mưu sinh": to strive laboriously to earn a living.
  • Họ phải bươn bả mưu sinh trên mảnh đất khô cằn. (They have to strive laboriously to earn a living on the arid land.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bươn chải (verb/adverb): to struggle, to strive laboriously. This is a very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "bươn bả" but can emphasize a longer, more sustained period of hardship.
  • Bươn chải kiếm sống nơi đất khách. (To struggle to make a living in a foreign land.)
• Vội vã (adverb): hurriedly, in haste. A more common synonym for the aspect of speed, but lacks the connotation of strenuous effort present in "bươn bả".
  • Anh ta vội vã rời khỏi phòng. (He left the room in a hurry.)

Synonyms

• Vội vàng: hurriedly, hastily.
• Cuống quýt: in a fluster, in a panic.
• Tất tả: busily, in a bustling rush.
• Tất bật: busy, bustling (often describing a busy lifestyle).

Notes on Usage

• Register: "Bươn bả" is considered a colloquial word, commonly used in spoken Vietnamese and informal writing. It conveys a vivid sense of urgency and effort.
• Nuance: While it often describes physical haste, it strongly implies an underlying context of difficulty, pressure, or the challenge of managing multiple tasks or a hard life. It's more than just speed; it's hurried effort.