làm thuốc
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To practice medicine: To engage in the profession of diagnosing, treating, and preventing illness and injury.
- To make/prepare medicine: To compound or create medicinal substances from ingredients.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Ông ấy đã làm thuốc ở vùng này hơn ba mươi năm. (He has practiced medicine in this region for over thirty years.)
- Bà lão biết cách làm thuốc từ các loại thảo mộc trong vườn. (The old woman knows how to make medicine from the herbs in her garden.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can imply a deep sense of vocation and ethical responsibility, often associated with traditional healing practices.
- In a modern context, it can sometimes distinguish traditional/herbal medicine preparation from the practice of Western-style clinical medicine.
Variants and Related Words
- Hành nghề y (v): To practice medicine (more formal, often for licensed physicians).
- Bào chế thuốc (v): To compound/pharmaceuticals (technical term for preparing drugs).
- Thầy thuốc (n): A doctor, a physician (one who 'làm thuốc').
Synonyms
- Practice medicine: To work as a healer or doctor.
- Compound medicine: To prepare or mix medicinal remedies.
Related Idioms
- Làm thuốc làm thầy: To be a proper, respectable doctor. This idiom emphasizes the skill, knowledge, and ethical conduct required in the profession.
- Muốn được tin tưởng thì phải làm thuốc làm thầy. (To be trusted, one must practice medicine properly and honorably.)