Definition

1. Verb:
   • To undertake, to shoulder, to take on (a responsibility, duty, or burden): "gánh vác" means to voluntarily or dutifully accept and bear a significant task, duty, or responsibility, often implying a sense of weight and commitment.
   • To be in charge of, to assume responsibility for: It also conveys the meaning of taking charge of a matter, becoming the person responsible for seeing it through.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy luôn sẵn sàng gánh vác trách nhiệm gia đình. (He is always ready to shoulder family responsibilities.)
  • Cô ấy đã gánh vác công việc quản lý khi giám đốc vắng mặt. (She took on the management work when the director was absent.)
  • Người lãnh đạo phải biết gánh vác. (A leader must know how to bear responsibilities.)

Advanced Usage

• "gánh vác trọng trách": to shoulder a heavy responsibility/a mission.

  • Anh ta được giao gánh vác trọng trách này. (He was assigned to shoulder this heavy responsibility.)

• "gánh vác việc nước": to undertake national affairs/to serve the country.

  • Thanh niên phải có chí gánh vác việc nước. (Young people must have the will to serve the country.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gánh (verb/noun): to carry (on a pole); a load, a burden. This is the root word implying carrying a physical or metaphorical load.
• Đảm đương (verb): to undertake, to assume (a task). A close synonym, often used interchangeably with "gánh vác" but may sound slightly less colloquial.
• Đảm nhận (verb): to take on, to accept (a position, role). Focuses more on the act of accepting an assigned role.

Synonyms

• Take on: nhận lấy, đảm nhận.
• Shoulder: đảm đương, gánh vác (often used for burdens).
• Undertake: tiến hành, đảm nhận.
• Assume: đảm nhận, cho rằng (in the context of taking on responsibility).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As "gánh vác" is a single verb in Vietnamese, it does not have phrasal verb constructions like in English. The concept is expressed through verb + object combinations. - Gánh vác công việc: to take on work/tasks. - Gánh vác trách nhiệm: to shoulder responsibility.

Related Idioms

• "Gánh vác giang sơn": to shoulder the fate of the country (a lofty, literary expression).

  • Một vị tướng tài ba, gánh vác giang sơn. (A talented general, shouldering the fate of the country.)

• "Một mình gánh vác": to shoulder (something) alone.

  • Bà ấy một mình gánh vác cả gia đình. (She shouldered the entire family alone.)