Definition

1. Noun:
   • Gatekeeper / Gate attendant: A person whose job is to guard, monitor, or control access at a gate or entrance to a building, compound, or area.
   • Porter / Concierge (in some contexts): A person stationed at the main entrance of a building, responsible for security, receiving guests, and sometimes light duties.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy làm nghề gác cổng cho một tòa nhà văn phòng. (He works as a gatekeeper for an office building.)
  • Gác cổng yêu cầu tôi dừng xe để kiểm tra. (The gate attendant asked me to stop the car for inspection.)
  • Hãy gửi thư này cho anh gác cổng. (Please give this letter to the concierge.)

Advanced Usage

• The term implies a stationary post, often involving a small booth or house ("nhà gác cổng") at the entrance.
• In modern contexts, the role may blend with security guard duties, but "gác cổng" specifically emphasizes the gate as the place of duty.

Variants and Related Words

• Bảo vệ (n): Security guard. A broader term for security personnel who may patrol, not just guard a gate.

  • Anh bảo vệ đi tuần quanh khu công nghiệp. (The security guard patrols around the industrial park.)

• Người canh cổng (n): Gate watcher. A more descriptive synonym.

  • Người canh cổng mới rất nghiêm túc. (The new gate watcher is very strict.)

Synonyms

• Gatekeeper: One who guards or controls a gate.
• Porter: An attendant at a door or gate.
• Concierge: A caretaker of an apartment building or small hotel (overlaps in some residential contexts).

Related Idioms

• Làm gác cổng: To work as a gatekeeper.
  • Cụ già đã làm gác cổng ở trường học suốt hai mươi năm. (The old man worked as the school gatekeeper for twenty years.)