mang nợ
Definition
- Verb:
- To be in debt / to owe money: The primary meaning of "mang nợ" is to be in a state of owing money to someone else, to have a financial debt.
- To be indebted (figurative): It can also describe a state of owing a non-material debt, such as a profound obligation or favor that one feels must be repaid.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Công ty đó đang mang nợ hàng triệu đô la. (That company is in debt for millions of dollars.)
- Tôi mang nợ anh ấy một ân huệ lớn. (I owe him a great favor. / I am indebted to him for a great kindness.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a heavy, burdensome connotation, implying the debt is a significant weight or responsibility one carries ("mang" means to carry or bear).
Variants and Related Words
Mắc nợ (v): a very close synonym, also meaning to be in debt or to owe.
- Ông ấy mắc nợ vì đầu tư thất bại. (He is in debt due to a failed investment.)
Có nợ (v): to have a debt.
- Tôi có nợ ngân hàng. (I have a debt with the bank.)
Synonyms
- To be indebted: To owe gratitude or money.
- To owe: To be under obligation to pay or repay.
Related Idioms
- Mang nợ như chúa Chổm: To be deeply in debt (literally: to be in debt like Lord Chổm, a proverbial figure known for his debts).
- Sau vụ kinh doanh, ông ta mang nợ như chúa Chổm. (After the business venture, he was up to his ears in debt.)