gác mỏ
Definition
1. Verb (colloquial): * To have nothing left to eat; to be without food. This phrase describes the state of having no food or provisions available, often implying a temporary but difficult situation of hunger or scarcity.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Tiền lương chưa về, cả tuần nay gia đình tôi phải gác mỏ. (The salary hasn't arrived, my family has had nothing to eat for the whole week.)
- Mấy ngày mưa bão, ngư dân không ra khơi, nhiều nhà đành gác mỏ. (After several stormy days, fishermen couldn't go to sea, so many households had to go without food.)
- Hết tiền rồi, chắc phải gác mỏ vài bữa thôi. (I'm out of money; I guess I'll have to skip meals for a few days.)
Advanced Usage Notes
- Register: This is a colloquial and somewhat vivid expression. It is more informal than neutral phrases like "hết thức ăn" (to run out of food) or "thiếu ăn" (to lack food). Its use can convey a sense of hardship or resignation.
- Imagery: The phrase "gác mỏ" literally evokes the image of "resting one's beak/bill," suggesting a bird or animal that cannot eat because there is no food. This figurative meaning is what gives the phrase its informal and expressive character.
Variants and Related Words
- Chịu đói (verb): To endure hunger; to go hungry. This is a more standard, neutral phrase for the same situation.
- Nhịn đói (verb): To fast; to voluntarily go without food. This can imply a deliberate choice, whereas "gác mỏ" usually implies forced circumstances.
- Đói (adjective/verb): Hungry; to be hungry. The basic, general term.
Synonyms
- Hết sạch lương thực: To be completely out of food supplies.
- Túng thiếu lương thực: To be in short supply of food; to experience food shortage.
Related Idioms and Expressions
- Đầu voi đuôi chuột: Literally "elephant's head, mouse's tail"; meaning a grand start but a poor finish. While not a direct synonym, it can sometimes be used in contexts where initial plans or provisions run out, leading to a situation where one might "gác mỏ."
- Cháy túi: Literally "pocket on fire"; meaning to be broke, to have no money left. This is a related state that often directly leads to having to "gác mỏ."