Ơn bằng cái đĩa, nghĩa bằng cái đội đèn
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Gratitude is shallow, but obligation is heavy
Lòng biết ơn nông cạn, nhưng nghĩa vụ thì nặng nề
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Examples
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Headword listed in the vdict.com proverb dictionary index (discovery source; headword only — no source content copied). Entered as candidate 2026-08-05; definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-08-09; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “Ơn bằng cái đĩa, nghĩa bằng cái đội đèn” mean?
Gratitude is shallow, but obligation is heavy Literally: Favor like a plate, obligation like a lamp holder
Is “Ơn bằng cái đĩa, nghĩa bằng cái đội đèn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.