gạo nước
Definition
- Noun:
- Food and drink; provisions; sustenance: Refers to essential food items, particularly rice and water, representing basic necessities for daily life and survival.
- Livelihood; means of living: Can metaphorically refer to one's livelihood or the basic necessities required to sustain life.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Gia đình tôi đã chuẩn bị đầy đủ gạo nước cho mùa mưa bão. (My family has prepared sufficient provisions for the stormy season.)
- Trong chiến tranh, gạo nước trở nên vô cùng quý giá. (During the war, food and water became extremely precious.)
- Công việc này là nguồn gạo nước chính của cả nhà. (This job is the main livelihood for the whole family.)
Advanced Usage
- "lo gạo nước": to worry about making a living; to be concerned with basic sustenance.
- Ông ấy suốt ngày chỉ lo gạo nước cho gia đình. (He spends all day just worrying about putting food on the table for his family.)
- "gạo nước đầy đủ": having ample provisions; well-supplied with necessities.
- Nhà nào cũng cố gắng có gạo nước đầy đủ để đón Tết. (Every household tries to have ample provisions to welcome the New Year.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lương thực (n): Foodstuffs; grain supplies. A more formal term for staple foods.
- Thực phẩm (n): Food products; groceries. A broader, more modern term for food items.
- Miếng ăn (n): A morsel of food; often used to refer to one's basic living or survival needs in a more figurative sense.
Synonyms
- Đồ ăn thức uống: Food and drink.
- Vật chất nuôi sống: Material necessities for living.
Notes on Meaning
This is a compound noun formed from "gạo" (rice) and "nước" (water). It is a classical and somewhat literary term that conceptualizes the most fundamental elements for survival. Its usage often carries a tone of concern for basic sustenance and livelihood, rather than just referring to literal rice and water. It is commonly used in contexts discussing preparation, scarcity, or the fundamental concerns of life.