Definition

1. Verb:
   • To mount guard, to stand guard, to be on sentry duty: To perform the duty of watching over and protecting a place, person, or thing, typically by staying alert in a fixed position or on patrol to prevent danger, theft, or unauthorized entry.
   • To keep watch: To maintain a state of vigilance and observation for security purposes.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Người lính canh gác cổng doanh trại suốt đêm. (The soldier stood guard at the military camp's gate all night.)
  • Chúng tôi phải canh gác kho hàng cẩn thận. (We must guard the warehouse carefully.)
  • Anh ấy được phân công canh gác ở đài quan sát. (He was assigned to be on sentry duty at the observation post.)

Advanced Usage

• "canh gác cẩn mật": to guard vigilantly, to keep a close watch.
  • Cảnh sát canh gác cẩn mật khu vực hiện trường. (The police are keeping a close watch on the crime scene area.)
• "thi hành nhiệm vụ canh gác": to perform guard duty.
  • Mọi binh sĩ đều phải thi hành nhiệm vụ canh gác. (Every soldier must perform guard duty.)

Variants and Related Words

• Canh phòng (verb): A near-synonym meaning to guard, to defend (often used in military/security contexts). It can imply a broader defensive posture.
• Gác (verb): To guard, to watch over. Often used in compounds (e.g., - to guard the gate) and is the core element of .
• Lính gác / Vệ sĩ (noun): Guard, sentry, sentinel (the person who performs the action of ).
• Sự canh gác (noun): The act or duty of guarding.

Synonyms

• Bảo vệ (verb): To protect, to defend. This is a broader term for protection, while specifically implies a watchful, stationed duty.
• Trông coi (verb): To look after, to oversee. This is more general for supervision and less focused on security against threats.
• Giữ (verb): To keep, to hold, to guard. Can be used in a security context but is more general.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb, 'canh gác' does not have direct English-style phrasal verbs. Its meanings are expressed through different English verbs (guard, watch over) and their prepositions. - Canh gác cho (to guard for/on behalf of): To perform guard duty for someone or something. - Anh ta canh gác cho cả nhóm trong khi họ nghỉ ngơi. (He stood guard for the whole group while they rested.)

Related Idioms

• "Mắt không rời, canh gác nghiêm ngặt": (Eyes never leaving, guarding strictly) - Meaning to watch with utmost vigilance, not letting one's attention waver.
• "Canh gác như giữ của": (To guard as if protecting treasure) - Meaning to guard something extremely carefully and diligently.

1. To mount guard, to mount sentry
   • tự vệ canh gác nhà máy
     self-defence men mount guard over their factory