Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To be indebted to someone for a favor or kindness: To have received a benefit or act of goodwill from another person, creating a sense of moral obligation or gratitude.
   • To owe a debt of gratitude: To be in a position where one feels thankful and obliged to return a kindness.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Tôi có ơn anh ấy vì đã giúp đỡ gia đình tôi trong lúc khó khăn. (I am indebted to him for helping my family during difficult times.)
  • Cô ấy luôn nhớ rằng mình có ơn thầy giáo cũ. (She always remembers that she owes a debt of gratitude to her old teacher.)

Advanced Usage

• "mang ơn": This is a more common and stronger synonym, emphasizing carrying the weight of the obligation.

  • Anh ta mang ơn người đã cứu mạng mình. (He carries a debt to the person who saved his life.)

• "Có ơn có nghĩa": An idiom describing a person who remembers and repays kindness, a virtuous character trait.

  • Ông ấy là người có ơn có nghĩa, không bao giờ quên ơn người giúp mình. (He is a grateful and righteous person who never forgets a favor.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ơn (n): Favor, grace, kindness.
  • Ơn nghĩa: Kindness and righteousness (often used together).
• Biết ơn (v): To be grateful, to feel thankful.
  • Tôi biết ơn sự giúp đỡ của bạn. (I am grateful for your help.)
• Đền ơn (v): To repay a favor.
  • Anh ấy tìm cách đền ơn ân nhân. (He looks for a way to repay his benefactor.)

Synonyms

• Mang ơn: To owe a favor, to be under an obligation (more common in modern usage).
• Chịu ơn: To be the recipient of a favor (similar meaning, slightly more passive).

Related Idioms

• Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây: Literally "When eating the fruit, remember the planter." Means to be grateful to the source of one's benefits.
  • Câu tục ngữ "ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây" dạy chúng ta phải biết có ơn. (The proverb "when eating the fruit, remember the planter" teaches us to be grateful.)
• Uống nước nhớ nguồn: Literally "When drinking water, remember the source." Similar to the above, emphasizing gratitude for origins.
  • Dân tộc ta có truyền thống uống nước nhớ nguồn. (Our people have the tradition of remembering the source when drinking water.)