Definition

Verb: - To start away; to start off; to set off; to depart; to leave (for a journey/destination): This verb describes the action of beginning a trip or journey, often implying a departure from a starting point towards a distant or specific destination. It carries a sense of commencement and movement.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chúng tôi sẽ lên đường vào sáng sớm mai. (We will set off early tomorrow morning.)
  • Sau khi chuẩn bị đầy đủ, đoàn thám hiểm chính thức lên đường. (After thorough preparation, the expedition officially departed.)
  • Anh ấy lên đường nhập ngũ vào tuần trước. (He left to join the army last week.)

Advanced Usage

• "lên đường đi...": to set off for (a specific place).
  • Cô ấy lên đường đi Đà Lạt vào cuối tuần. (She set off for Da Lat over the weekend.)
• "chuẩn bị lên đường": to prepare to depart; to be about to leave.
  • Mọi người đang chuẩn bị lên đường. (Everyone is preparing to depart.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khởi hành (verb): to commence a journey; to set out. This is a very close synonym, often used in more formal or scheduled contexts (e.g., for trains, planes).
• Ra đi (verb): to leave; to go away. This has a broader meaning and can imply leaving for any reason, not necessarily a journey. It can carry a more emotional or permanent connotation.
• Xuất phát (verb): to start; to set out (from a point). Often used in contexts of races, competitions, or to emphasize the starting point.
• Đi xa (verb phrase): to go far away. This describes the act of going to a distant place.

Synonyms

• Depart: to leave, especially to start a journey.
• Set out: to begin a journey.
• Embark: to begin a journey, especially by boarding a ship or aircraft. (In Vietnamese, this is often "lên tàu", "lên máy bay").
• Hit the road (idiomatic): to begin traveling, especially by car.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb unit, "lên đường" itself functions like a phrasal verb. Related Vietnamese phrases include: - Lên xe: to get on/in a vehicle (car, bus). - Lên tàu: to board a train/ship. - Lên máy bay: to board a plane.

Related Idioms

• "Lên đường hành phương": An older, more literary phrase meaning to set off on a journey to a distant region. It emphasizes the distance and purpose of the travel.
• "Lên đường bái tổ": Literally "to set off to worship ancestors," historically referring to the journey of successful examination candidates returning to their hometowns. It can imply a journey of honor or return to one's roots.

verb

1. to start away; to start off