dong cho
Definition
- Verb:
- To stand in for someone; to substitute for someone: The primary meaning of "dong cho" is to temporarily take another person's place, performing their role, duty, or task.
- To act as a proxy or replacement: It implies a temporary and often informal substitution where one person fills in for another.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Hôm nay tôi phải dong cho đồng nghiệp vì anh ấy bị ốm. (Today I have to stand in for my colleague because he is sick.)
- Cô ấy không thể đi họp nên đã nhờ tôi dong cho. (She couldn't attend the meeting so she asked me to substitute for her.)
- Anh ấy dong cho tôi làm trưởng nhóm trong tuần này. (He is acting as a proxy for me as team leader this week.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in informal, everyday contexts rather than formal contractual situations. It carries a sense of doing someone a favor by covering for them.
Variants and Related Words
Thay thế (v): to replace, to substitute. This is a more general and formal term.
- Máy mới sẽ thay thế máy cũ. (The new machine will replace the old one.)
Làm thay (v): to do something on someone's behalf.
- Tôi làm thay việc đó cho anh. (I did that job for you.)
Synonyms
- Substitute for: To take the place of another.
- Stand in for: To temporarily replace someone.
- Cover for: To do someone's work while they are absent.
Related Idioms
- Chân ướt chân ráo: (lit. wet foot dry foot) To be new or inexperienced. While not directly using "dong cho," this idiom might describe someone who is newly substituting for a role.
- Anh ấy chân ướt chân ráo đã phải dong cho quản lý. (He, fresh and inexperienced, had to stand in for the manager.)