Definitions

1. Verb:

   • To rescue, to save (in emergency or distress situations): "cứu hộ" refers to the act of providing assistance and saving people, animals, or property from dangerous, life-threatening situations such as accidents, natural disasters, or technical failures.
   • To salvage (a ship, vehicle, or cargo): In specialized contexts, particularly maritime, it means to save a ship, its crew, or its cargo from peril.

2. Noun (often used in compounds):

   • Rescue, salvage operation: The activity or operation of saving people or property from danger.
   • Rescue vehicle/asset (e.g., boat, team): A specialized vehicle, vessel, or team designated for rescue operations.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Đội cứu hộ đang nỗ lực cứu hộ các nạn nhân bị mắc kẹt trong tòa nhà. (The rescue team is trying to rescue the victims trapped in the building.)
  • Tàu cứu hộ đã kịp thời cứu hộ thuyền viên từ con tàu đang chìm. (The rescue ship promptly salvaged the crew from the sinking vessel.)

• Noun (in compounds):

  • Hoạt động cứu hộ sau trận động đất đã được triển khai khẩn cấp. (The rescue operation after the earthquake was deployed urgently.)
  • Chiếc tàu cứu hộ luôn trong tình trạng sẵn sàng. (The rescue boat is always on standby.)

Advanced Usage

• "cứu hộ khẩn cấp": emergency rescue.

  • Tất cả các phương tiện cứu hộ khẩn cấp đều đã được huy động. (All emergency rescue vehicles have been mobilized.)

• "trung tâm cứu hộ": rescue center (e.g., for animals).

  • Con rùa biển được đưa đến trung tâm cứu hộ động vật. (The sea turtle was taken to the animal rescue center.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cứu hộ viên (n): rescuer, rescue worker.

  • Các cứu hộ viên đều được đào tạo bài bản. (The rescuers are all professionally trained.)

• Cứu nạn (v/n): to save from disaster; disaster relief. (Often used interchangeably with "cứu hộ" but can imply a larger-scale disaster).

  • Lực lượng cứu nạn quốc tế đã đến hỗ trợ. (International disaster relief forces have arrived to assist.)

• Cứu trợ (v/n): to provide relief aid (often material/financial, less focused on the immediate physical act of saving).

  • Chính phủ phát động chiến dịch cứu trợ cho người dân vùng lũ. (The government launched a relief aid campaign for flood victims.)

Synonyms

• Giải cứu (v): to rescue, to liberate (often used in contexts of saving from captivity or a specific trapped situation).
• Cứu sống (v): to save a life.
• Ứng cứu (v): to respond to an emergency, to provide emergency aid.

Related Phrases / Compound Terms

• Đội cứu hộ (n): rescue team.

  • Đội cứu hộ leo núi đã tìm thấy nhóm du khách lạc. (The mountain rescue team found the lost group of tourists.)

• Tàu cứu hộ (n): rescue ship, lifeboat.

• Xe cứu hộ (n): rescue vehicle (often refers to tow trucks for vehicles, or specialized rescue trucks).
• Cứu hộ đường thủy: maritime/water rescue.
• Cứu hộ động vật: animal rescue.

Related Idioms

Note: "cứu hộ" itself is a technical/specific term and is not commonly used in traditional Vietnamese idioms. The broader concept of "cứu" (to save) appears in idioms. - "Cứu cánh": (literally: saving the arm) - means "purpose", "end goal". This is a Sino-Vietnamese word where "cứu" means "ultimate" and is different from the "cứu" in "cứu hộ". - Học tập không phải là cứu cánh duy nhất của cuộc đời. (Studying is not the sole purpose of life.)