Definition

1. Adjective phrase:
   • Taking great pains, making great efforts: Describes the act of investing significant time, energy, and meticulous care into a task or goal. It implies diligence, perseverance, and a high level of dedication.

Usage Examples

• Adjective phrase:
  • Anh ấy đã dày công nghiên cứu tài liệu trong nhiều tháng. (He took great pains to research the documents for many months.)
  • Để có được thành công hôm nay, cô ấy đã dày công rèn luyện từ nhỏ. (To achieve today's success, she made great efforts in training from a young age.)
  • Người thợ dày công chăm chút cho từng đường kim mũi chỉ. (The artisan took great care with every single stitch.)

Advanced Usage

• "dày công vun đắp": to painstakingly nurture/build (often used for relationships, careers, or projects).

  • Họ dày công vun đắp tình bạn suốt bao năm tháng. (They painstakingly nurtured their friendship over so many years.)

• "dày công sưu tầm": to diligently collect (often used for collections like stamps, antiques, data).

  • Nhà sử học dày công sưu tầm những tư liệu quý. (The historian diligently collected precious documents.)

Variants and Related Words

• Công phu (noun/adjective): elaborate work, painstaking effort. Often used to describe something created with intricate and careful effort.

  • Một tác phẩm được làm rất công phu. (A work made very elaborately.)

• Dày dặn (adjective): experienced, seasoned. Refers to having a lot of experience over time.

  • Một giáo viên dày dặn kinh nghiệm. (An experienced teacher.)

Synonyms

• Tỉ mỉ: meticulous, careful.
• Kiên trì: persistent, persevering.
• Nỗ lực: to strive, to make an effort.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: As 'dày công' is an adjective phrase, it does not combine to form phrasal verbs in the same way as single verbs. Its meaning is expressed through combination with various verbs, as shown in the 'Advanced Usage' section.)

Related Idioms

• "Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim": Literally "If you persistently polish iron, there will be a day it becomes a needle." This idiom embodies the spirit of dày công, meaning perseverance leads to success.
• "Mưa dầm thấm lâu": Literally "Long, steady rain soaks deep." This idiom suggests that persistent, steady effort (dày công) over time yields deep and lasting results.

1. Take great pains
   • Dày công luyện tập
     To take great pains with one's training