thợ hồ
Definition
- Noun:
- Mason's laborer / Hod carrier: A construction worker whose primary traditional role is to carry, mix, and supply mortar, plaster, or concrete (the wet mixture of sand, cement, and water) to bricklayers or stonemasons on a building site.
- Construction laborer: In broader modern usage, it often refers to a general manual laborer in construction, performing tasks like mixing materials, carrying supplies, and assisting skilled tradespeople.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Anh ấy làm thợ hồ cho một đội xây dựng. (He works as a mason's laborer for a construction crew.)
- Thợ hồ đang trộn vữa để lát gạch. (The construction laborer is mixing mortar for laying tiles.)
- Công việc của thợ hồ rất vất vả. (The work of a construction laborer is very hard.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thợ hồ" originates from "hồ", an old word for the lime-based mortar or plaster used in traditional construction. Thus, the worker was literally "the mortar/plaster craftsman".
- While the core meaning relates to handling wet mixtures, the term is now commonly used interchangeably with "lao động phổ thông xây dựng" (general construction worker).
Variants and Related Words
- Thợ nề (n): Bricklayer, mason. This refers to the skilled craftsperson who lays bricks or stones, whom the "thợ hồ" typically assists.
- Thợ xây (n): Builder, construction worker. A general term for construction tradespeople.
- Phụ hồ (n): A synonym for "thợ hồ", emphasizing the assisting ("phụ") role.
Synonyms
- Hod carrier: A laborer who carries a hod (a trough for carrying mortar or bricks).
- Mason's tender: A worker who assists a mason.
- Construction helper / laborer: A general manual worker on a construction site.
Related Idioms
- Làm thợ hồ: To work as a construction laborer. This phrase describes the occupation.
- Sau khi nghỉ học, anh ấy đi làm thợ hồ. (After leaving school, he went to work as a construction laborer.)