Tiếng Việt · Idiom Attested

buôn dầm cầm chèo

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Paddle in one hand, oar in the other — hands never once at rest.

Literally: trade the paddle, hold the oar

Sources & notes

Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “buôn dầm cầm chèo” mean?

Paddle in one hand, oar in the other — hands never once at rest. Literally: trade the paddle, hold the oar

Is “buôn dầm cầm chèo” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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