Definition

1. 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.)