Definition

1. Noun phrase:
   • Wife and children: Refers to one's immediate family, specifically a man's spouse and offspring. It denotes the core family unit for which one is responsible.
   • Family dependents: Carries the connotation of those one must provide for and protect, often used to express a man's duties and burdens.

Usage Examples

• Noun phrase:
  • Anh ấy làm việc vất vả để lo cho vợ con. (He works hard to provide for his wife and children.)
  • Sau chiến tranh, anh chỉ mong được sum họp với vợ con. (After the war, he only wished to be reunited with his wife and children.)
  • Gánh nặng vợ con khiến anh ấy không dám mạo hiểm. (The burden of his family dependents made him dare not take risks.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is deeply rooted in traditional family structure and paternal responsibility. It is often used to explain a man's motivations, sacrifices, or constraints.
• It can be used in a broader, slightly figurative sense to mean "family obligations" or "domestic ties."

Variants and Related Words

• Gia đình (n): family. A more general and neutral term for one's family, including parents, siblings, etc.
• Vợ (n): wife.
• Con cái (n): children, offspring.

Synonyms

• Family: one's spouse and children.
• Dependents: persons who rely on one for financial support, typically a spouse and children.

Related Idioms and Common Phrases

• Gánh vợ con: The burden/responsibility of a family.
  • Anh ấy phải gánh vợ con nên không thể bỏ việc. (He has to bear the responsibility for his family, so he can't quit his job.)
• Trách nhiệm với vợ con: Responsibility towards one's wife and children.
  • Người đàn ông luôn nghĩ đến trách nhiệm với vợ con. (A man always thinks of his responsibility to his wife and children.)