Definition

1. Noun:
   • Dealer; merchant: A person whose profession is large-scale trade or long-distance commerce. This term specifically refers to someone engaged in significant commercial transactions, often involving the movement of goods over considerable distances.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy là một lái buôn giàu có chuyên buôn bán vải vóc. (He is a wealthy merchant who specializes in trading fabrics.)
  • Các lái buôn ngày xưa thường di chuyển bằng đường bộ hoặc đường biển. (Merchants in the old days often traveled by land or sea routes.)
  • Lái buôn đó có mạng lưới buôn bán rộng khắp cả nước. (That dealer has a nationwide trading network.)

Advanced Usage

• "tay lái buôn lão luyện": a seasoned/experienced merchant.

  • Anh ta được biết đến như một tay lái buôn lão luyện trong ngành. (He is known as a seasoned dealer in the industry.)

• "thân phận lái buôn": the status/identity of a merchant.

  • Thân phận lái buôn giúp ông ta tiếp xúc với nhiều nền văn hóa. (His identity as a merchant allowed him to interact with many cultures.)

Variants and Related Words

• Buôn bán (v): to trade, to do business.

  • Gia đình họ buôn bán đã ba đời. (Their family has been trading for three generations.)

• Thương buôn (n): merchant, trader (a more formal or literary synonym).

  • Khu phố này tập trung nhiều thương buôn. (This street is concentrated with many merchants.)

• Lái (n): This root can mean a driver or handler (e.g., lái xe: driver; lái đò: ferryman). In lái buôn, it implies someone who "steers" or manages commercial ventures.

Synonyms

• Nhà buôn: merchant, trader.
• Thương nhân: merchant, businessperson (often more formal).
• Con buôn: trader, dealer (can sometimes have a slightly informal or neutral connotation).

Notes on Meaning and Usage

• Scale and Distance: The term lái buôn inherently suggests a scale of operation larger than a simple street vendor () or shopkeeper (). It often involves long-distance trade.
• Historical Context: Traditionally, a lái buôn was a key figure in commerce, transporting goods like silk, spices, or ceramics between regions or countries.
• Modern Usage: While still used, it may evoke a traditional or specific image. In contemporary business contexts, words like (entrepreneur/businessperson) or (distributor) might be more common for certain roles.

noun

1. dealer; merchant