ăn nhờ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To live off someone / to be dependent on someone for food and shelter: The primary meaning of "ăn nhờ" is to temporarily reside and eat at someone else's home, relying on their hospitality and resources without paying.
- To sponge off / to mooch off: In a more informal or negative sense, it can imply taking advantage of another person's generosity for one's own sustenance over a period.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Sau trận bão, cả gia đình tôi phải đi ăn nhờ ở nhà bác. (After the storm, my whole family had to go and live off my uncle.)
- Anh ta không chịu đi làm, suốt ngày ăn nhờ ở nhà bạn. (He refuses to get a job and just sponges off his friend all day.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a nuance of temporary necessity or, conversely, of exploitation. The context and tone determine whether it is seen as a neutral description of receiving help or a criticism of freeloading behavior.
Variants and Related Words
- Ăn bám (v): to be a parasite, to live off others in a more explicitly negative and long-term sense.
- Đứa con trai lớn vẫn còn ăn bám bố mẹ. (The eldest son is still living as a parasite off his parents.)
Synonyms
- To sponge off: To obtain something from others without paying or working for it.
- To live off someone's charity: To depend on another's goodwill for basic needs.
- To be a dependent: To rely on another for financial support.
Related Idioms
- Ăn nhờ ở đậu: A common extended idiom meaning "to lodge and board temporarily," explicitly combining the ideas of eating ("ăn") and staying ("ở").
- Chúng tôi về quê, phải đi ăn nhờ ở đậu hết nhà nọ đến nhà kia. (We went back to our hometown and had to lodge and board temporarily, moving from one house to another.)