Definition

1. Verb:

   • To manually load and unload: The primary meaning of "bốc vác" is to carry, load, or unload goods or heavy items by hand, typically involving physical labor.
   • To work as a porter: It describes the specific work of moving cargo manually.

2. Noun:

   • Porter / Stevedore / Loader: Refers to a laborer whose job is to manually load and unload goods.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Anh ấy làm nghề bốc vác ở bến tàu. (He works loading and unloading goods at the dock.)
  • Họ phải bốc vác tất cả hàng hóa từ xe tải xuống. (They had to unload all the goods from the truck by hand.)

• Noun:

  • Công nhân bốc vác cần có sức khỏe tốt. (A porter needs to have good health.)
  • Những người bốc vác đang nghỉ giải lao. (The loaders are taking a break.)

Advanced Usage

• The term strongly implies strenuous, physical labor and is often associated with jobs at markets, docks, warehouses, or construction sites.
• It can sometimes be used figuratively to describe doing heavy, manual tasks.

Variants and Related Words

• Bốc xếp (v): A near-synonym meaning to load and unload, often used interchangeably with "bốc vác," though "bốc xếp" can sometimes imply a slightly more organized handling of cargo.
  • Công việc bốc xếp hàng hóa rất vất vả. (The work of handling goods is very hard.)

Synonyms

• To haul: to pull or carry with effort.
• To handle cargo: to manage the loading/unloading of goods.
• To carry: to support and move from one place to another.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Làm công việc bốc vác: to do manual labor/porter work.
  • Ông ấy từng làm công việc bốc vác để nuôi gia đình. (He used to do manual labor to support his family.)

1. To load and unload by hand
   • bốc vác hàng hoá
     to load and unload goods by hand
   • công nhân bốc vác
     a porter