Definition

1. Noun:
   • Wind and dew: The literal meaning refers to the natural elements of wind and dew.
   • Hardships of life: The figurative meaning refers to the difficulties, trials, and tribulations one endures in life, often from travel or a hard existence.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Literal):
  • Trải qua bao phong sương trên đường hành quân. (To endure much wind and dew on the march.)
• Noun (Figurative):
  • Cuộc đời ông ấy đầy dãi dầu phong sương. (His life has been full of hardships and toil.)
  • Gương mặt phong sương của người lính già. (The weather-beaten face of the old soldier.)

Advanced Usage

• "dãi dầu phong sương" / "dầu dãi phong sương": A very common four-word idiom meaning to be thoroughly worn down by life's hardships, to be weathered and experienced from a life of struggle.
  • Sau bao năm dãi dầu phong sương, bà trở về quê hương. (After many years of enduring life's hardships, she returned to her homeland.)

Variants and Related Words

• Phong trần (n): A near-synonym meaning "wind and dust," also used figuratively for life's hardships and wanderings.
  • Cuộc sống phong trần của người nghệ sĩ hát rong. (The hard, wandering life of a traveling minstrel.)
• Gian truân (adj/n): Hardships, adversity.
  • Vượt qua mọi gian truân. (To overcome all adversities.)

Synonyms

• Gian khó: Difficulties, hardships.
• Vất vả: Toilsome, hard.
• Khó nhọc: Laborious, arduous.

Related Idioms

• "Dãi nắng dầm mưa" / "Dầm mưa dãi nắng": To be exposed to sun and rain; to endure outdoor hardships.
  • Công việc đồng áng dầm mưa dãi nắng. (Farm work involves enduring sun and rain.)
• "Lên thác xuống ghềnh": To go up waterfalls and down rapids; to face numerous dangers and obstacles in life.

1. Wind and dew; hardships of life
   • Dầu dãi phong sương
     To be exposed tot he hardships of life, to be weather-beaten