Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Capable, competent, efficient: Describes a person, especially a woman, who is skillful, resourceful, and successfully manages all household or assigned duties.
   • Responsible, reliable: Indicates a person who is dependable and takes good care of responsibilities.

2. Verb (Literary/Classical usage):

   • To bear, to undertake, to assume (responsibility): To take on a duty, burden, or task.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Cô ấy là một người vợ rất đảm. (She is a very capable wife.)
  • Nhờ có người quản lý đảm đang, công việc tiến triển rất tốt. (Thanks to having a competent manager, the work is progressing very well.)

• Verb:

  • Ông ấy đảm nhiệm chức vụ giám đốc. (He assumed the position of director.) (Note: Often used in the compound "đảm nhiệm").
  • Người lính đảm trách nhiệm vụ quan trọng. (The soldier undertook an important mission.) (Note: Often used in the compound "đảm trách").

Advanced Usage

• "đảm đang": A common reduplicative form emphasizing great capability and thoroughness in managing tasks, often related to household duties.

  • Bà nội tôi ngày xưa vừa đảm đang việc nhà, vừa buôn bán giỏi. (My grandmother in the past was both thoroughly capable at housework and good at business.)

• "gánh vác đảm đương": A four-word idiom meaning to shoulder and undertake (responsibilities).

  • Anh ấy là trụ cột, biết gánh vác đảm đương mọi việc cho gia đình. (He is the pillar, knowing how to shoulder and undertake all tasks for the family.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đảm đang (adj): Very capable and thorough (often used for women managing household tasks).
• Đảm nhiệm (verb): To undertake, to assume (a position, role, or duty).
• Đảm trách (verb): To be in charge of, to take responsibility for (a task or area).
• Đảm bảo (verb): To ensure, to guarantee (a different word but shares the character "đảm").
• Đảm lược (noun/adj, literary): Capability and strategic talent (often used in historical contexts for military/political leaders).

Synonyms

• Adjective: Tài giỏi (talented), tháo vát (resourceful), khéo léo (skillful), có năng lực (capable), chín chắn (mature/reliable).
• Verb (for the classical sense): Gánh vác (to shoulder), nhận lãnh (to accept/undertake), đảm nhận (to undertake).

Related Phrases (Compound Verbs)

• Đảm nhiệm: To undertake, to assume a role.
  • Cô ấy đảm nhiệm vị trí trưởng phòng. (She assumed the position of department head.)
• Đảm trách: To be in charge of, to take responsibility for a specific task.
  • Ai sẽ đảm trách công việc chuẩn bị cho hội nghị? (Who will be in charge of preparing for the conference?)
• Đảm đương (literary): To undertake, to bear (responsibility).
  • Anh ta có khả năng đảm đương trọng trách này. (He has the ability to undertake this important responsibility.)

Related Idioms

• "Nữ công gia chánh đảm đang": Describes a woman who is proficient and capable in all domestic skills and household management.
  • Theo quan niệm xưa, người phụ nữ lý tưởng phải nữ công gia chánh đảm đang. (According to old notions, the ideal woman had to be proficient in all domestic arts and thoroughly capable.)
• "Gánh vác đảm đương": (As mentioned in Advanced Usage) To shoulder and undertake responsibilities.

adj

1. capable

verb

1. to bear