I agree with the two posting comments above, which will help people in VN better understand the term. The meaning of "go out" is pretty clear in the American society as explained. However, when a girl/woman and a boy/man agree to go out the very "first time", when they are not yet "bồ", then it's more to explore possibility of becoming bồ. (Khi trai gái đồng ý "to go out" lần đầu tiên thì họ chưa hẳn là bồ mà là muốn tìm hiểu nhau để thành bồ thực sự) That's why I translated as "đi chơi để tìm hiểu nhau" when that phrase was introduced the first time in the story. Of course, if someone has a better suggestion, I will make the change.
Thanks for the comments.