lái đò
Definition
Noun: 1. Boatman; ferryman: A person whose occupation is to operate a small boat (đò) to transport passengers and goods across a river or a waterway. 2. Bargee (less common): A person who operates a barge or a similar cargo boat.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông cụ lái đò đã đưa chúng tôi sang sông an toàn. (The old boatman ferried us across the river safely.)
- Nghề lái đò đã có từ rất lâu đời ở vùng sông nước này. (The occupation of a ferryman has existed for a very long time in this river region.)
- Anh ấy làm nghề lái đò để kiếm sống. (He works as a boatman to make a living.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "lái đò" is often used in a metaphorical or proverbial sense in Vietnamese literature and sayings to symbolize a guide, a mentor, or someone who helps others navigate through challenges.
- Thầy giáo như người lái đò, đưa học sinh qua bến bờ tri thức. (A teacher is like a ferryman, taking students to the shore of knowledge.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lái (verb): To drive, to steer, to pilot (e.g., - to drive a car, - to pilot a ship). This is the root verb indicating the act of steering.
- Đò (noun): A small ferry boat, a sampan, a rowboat used for river transport.
- Người chèo đò: A synonym, literally "person who rows the ferry," also meaning boatman/ferryman.
- Nghề lái đò / Nghề chèo đò (noun phrase): The occupation of being a boatman/ferryman.
Synonyms
- Người chèo đò: Ferry rower, boatman.
- Người đưa đò: Ferryman (emphasizing the transport function).
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Công việc/ nghề của người lái đò: The work of a ferryman. (Describes a repetitive or steady job of transporting people.)
- Chuyến đò ngang: The ferry crossing. (Often used to imply a transient phase or a short journey in life.)
- Đời người như một chuyến đò ngang. (Human life is like a ferry crossing.)
noun
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boatman; bargee
