Definition

1. Verb:
   • To grant a favor, to bestow a kindness: "gia ơn" means to intentionally do a good deed or provide help to someone else, creating a sense of gratitude or indebtedness in the recipient. It implies a conscious act of benevolence from a position of ability or power.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ngài ấy đã gia ơn cho gia đình tôi trong lúc khó khăn. (He granted a favor to my family during difficult times.)
  • Không nên làm việc tốt chỉ để mong người khác nhớ ơn, nhưng thật lòng gia ơn là một đức tính tốt. (One shouldn't do good deeds just to make others feel indebted, but sincerely bestowing kindness is a good virtue.)

Advanced Usage

• "Gia ơn đặc biệt": to grant a special favor.

  • Vị ân nhân đã gia ơn đặc biệt, giúp tôi có cơ hội học tập. (The benefactor granted a special favor, helping me get an opportunity to study.)

• "Gia ơn cứu mạng": to grant a life-saving favor/kindness.

  • Lời hứa gia ơn cứu mạng ấy tôi sẽ không bao giờ quên. (I will never forget that promise of a life-saving kindness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gia ân (verb): A more formal or literary synonym with the same meaning as "gia ơn" (to bestow grace/favor).

  • Nhà vua gia ân cho toàn thể dân chúng. (The king bestowed his grace upon all the people.)

• Ban ơn (verb): To confer a favor, to bestow grace. Very similar in meaning and usage.

  • Trời ban ơn cho mùa màng bội thu. (Heaven bestowed its favor for a bountiful harvest.)

Synonyms

• Giúp đỡ: to help, to assist (a more general term without the strong connotation of creating a debt of gratitude).
• Làm phúc: to do a charitable/good deed.
• Bố thí: to give alms, to donate (often implies giving to the needy, sometimes with a nuance of charity from a higher position).

Notes on Meaning and Usage

• Connotation: "Gia ơn" carries a formal and somewhat elevated tone. It often implies that the person granting the favor ("người gia ơn") is in a superior position—whether in terms of social status, power, or resources—compared to the recipient ("người được gia ơn"). This can create a sense of hierarchy and a lasting debt of gratitude ("ơn nghĩa").
• Nuance: While positive, the act of "gia ơn" inherently creates an obligation. Therefore, in modern, egalitarian contexts, words like "giúp đỡ" (to help) or "hỗ trợ" (to support) are often preferred as they are more neutral and don't emphasize the power dynamic.

1. Grant favours