đưa đò
Definition
Verb:
- To ferry (across a river): The primary meaning of "đưa đò" is to operate a ferry, transporting people or goods across a river or body of water using a small boat or ferry.
- To take someone across by ferry: It specifically refers to the action of the ferryman conducting the crossing.
Noun (derived):
- Ferryman / ferry operator: The person whose job is to operate the ferry and take passengers across.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- Ông lão đưa đò qua sông mỗi ngày. (The old man ferries people across the river every day.)
- Chiếc thuyền nhỏ đưa đò khách du lịch. (The small boat ferries tourists across.)
Noun:
- Người đưa đò rất thân thiện. (The ferryman is very friendly.)
- Nghề đưa đò của ông đã có từ ba đời. (His family's ferryman occupation has existed for three generations.)
Advanced Usage
- The term evokes a traditional, often rural or rustic, method of transportation. It is less commonly used for modern, large vehicle ferries, which are more often called "phà."
Variants and Related Words
- Đò (n): ferry, small passenger boat.
- Bến đò: ferry wharf, ferry landing.
- Phà (n): A larger, often motorized ferry for vehicles and passengers.
Synonyms
- To ferry: to transport by boat across a body of water.
- To convey (across): to transport from one side to the other.
- Ferryman: a person who operates a ferry.
Related Idioms and Cultural Context
- "Đưa đò" can be used metaphorically in poetry or literature to describe guiding someone through a transition or difficult passage, similar to the English "to see someone across" or "to shepherd."
- Thầy giáo như người đưa đò, đưa học sinh qua bến tri thức. (A teacher is like a ferryman, taking students across to the shore of knowledge.)