Mini Dictionary
The following is a selection of Vietnamese slang, phrases, and other interesting or new words found in Very Vietnam’s articles and comments. If there are any errors, or you would like to add words or phrases, please Contact Us.
Here are a few useful online dictionaries for your reference:
8x
(adj.) Someone from the 1980′s. A person who was born between the years of 1980 and 1989.
Ex: My Tam is an 8x singer from Danang, Vietnam.
Ex: My Tam is an 8x singer from Danang, Vietnam.
9x
(adj.) Someone from the 1990′s. A person who was born between the years of 1990 and 1999.
Ex: His 9x brother loves to listen to the Beatles.
Ex: His 9x brother loves to listen to the Beatles.
Anh hùng núp
(n.) A traffic cop. A policeman/woman who directs traffic and hands out tickets for traffic law violations. (Literally: “hero in hiding”).
Ex: Traffic police in Ho Chi Minh City employ anh hùng núp tactics to catch speeding vehicles.
Ex: Traffic police in Ho Chi Minh City employ anh hùng núp tactics to catch speeding vehicles.
Bà tám
(v.) or (n.) Slang from Southern Vietnam to refer to someone who talks too much or likes to gossip.
Ex: Hong and her girlfriends often bà tám about boys.
See: Buôn dưa lê.
Ex: Hong and her girlfriends often bà tám about boys.
See: Buôn dưa lê.
Bạn
(n.) Friend. This term is also often used to address peers when their age and gender may or may not be known, especially to address strangers or new acquaintances. In normal circumstances, Vietnamese culture dictates that people are formally addressed according to their gender and relationship to you.
Ex: Bạn, what’s your name? Bạn, how old are you?
Ex: Bạn, what’s your name? Bạn, how old are you?
Bạn gái
(n.) Girlfriend.
Bạn trai
(n.) Boyfriend.
Bó tay, pó tay
A phrase often used in Southern Vietnam to express resignation or exasperation. It can mean “I give up” or “Can’t do anything about it.” (Literally: my hands are tied).
Buôn dưa lê
(v.) or (n.) Slang from Northern Vietnam to refer to someone who talks too much or likes to gossip.
Ex: Fashion magazines nowadays buôn dưa lê too much.
See: bà tám.
Ex: Fashion magazines nowadays buôn dưa lê too much.
See: bà tám.
Cave, ca ve
(n.) Prostitute.
Cây si
(n.) Hopeless romantic. A person who loves someone without receiving that person’s love in return. (Cây means plant or tree).
Ex: Look at the boy giving his teacher chocolates. He’s planting the seeds of a cây si.
Ex: Look at the boy giving his teacher chocolates. He’s planting the seeds of a cây si.
Con ghẹ, con ghệ
(n.) Girl or girlfriend. Slang often used by boys and young men in Southern Vietnam. (Literally: “a crab”).
Ex: Buddy, where’s your con ghẹ? I haven’t seen you two together in a while.
Ex: Buddy, where’s your con ghẹ? I haven’t seen you two together in a while.
Con quỉ
(n.) Devil or monster.
Ex: That con quỉ bit me again! I hate mosquitoes.
Ex: That con quỉ bit me again! I hate mosquitoes.
Đụng hàng
Being caught wearing the same outfit. (Literally: “touching products”).
Ex: Everyone noticed Linh and Mai đụng hàng when they showed up at the party with the same red dress.
Ex: Everyone noticed Linh and Mai đụng hàng when they showed up at the party with the same red dress.
Hoang tưởng
(n.)(adj.) Someone who thinks highly of themselves or thinks that they are “hot stuff”. (“Hoang tưởng tự đại” means illusions of grandeur).
Khoe hàng
To show off or strut one’s stuff. Literally: (show off merchandise).
Lau mũi chưa sạch
Not fully mature, or still young and stupid. A type of insult used by older people towards youth. (Literally: “a nose that’s wiped but is still dirty”).
Ex: An 18 year old living with his parents, asks his mother for permission to marry his girlfriend who is 17 years old. His mother’s reply: “Lau mũi chưa sạch! Stop dreaming.”
Ex: An 18 year old living with his parents, asks his mother for permission to marry his girlfriend who is 17 years old. His mother’s reply: “Lau mũi chưa sạch! Stop dreaming.”
Lộ hàng
Exposing oneself or being exposed sexually. (Literally: exposed merchandise).
Mẹc xì bóp cu, mẹt xì bóp cu
Vietnamese transliteration of the French “merci beaucoup”, meaning “thank you very much”. By itself, bóp cu also has the additional vulgar meaning of “to squeeze testicles”.
Ex: Mẹc xì bóp cu, for letting me borrow your textbook!
Ex: Mẹc xì bóp cu, for letting me borrow your textbook!
Nổ
(v.) Over-exaggerating about oneself or things that one knows about. (Literally: “to explode”).
No table
A Vietnam example of mis-used English. Literally translated as, no: miễn/không; table: bàn. In Vietnamese, Miễn bàn means “end of discussion” or “let’s not discuss this.”
The term “no table” is often used by young Vietnamese when they want to end the current discussion and change the topic of conversation.
The term “no table” is often used by young Vietnamese when they want to end the current discussion and change the topic of conversation.
Osin, ô sin
(n). A domestic worker, ie. a maid, cleaner or houseworker. This term was adopted from the Japanese “Oshin” (おしん), which was the name of a TV show popular in the 1980′s and 1990′s about a woman who does domestic work.
Ex: Sorry, I can’t meet you tonight. My osin is sick so I have to take care of the kids.
Ex: Sorry, I can’t meet you tonight. My osin is sick so I have to take care of the kids.
Quý tử
A momma’s boy. A family’s favourite child, one who is spoiled by his/her parent(s) and receives anything he/she wants.
Sốc, sock
Shock. Something that is big or causes utter surprise.
Tóc vàng khè
(adj.) Blonde haired. Referring to someone as “tóc vàng khè” is similar to the American meaning of “dumb blonde”.
Tự sướng
Self-serving, showing off oneself, or pleasuring oneself.
Xe ôm
(n.) Motorbike taxi. One of the most popular forms of transportation in modern urban Vietnam. (Literally: xe: vehicle; om: to hold or hug).
Ex: How did you get to the hotel? I came by xe ôm.
Ex: How did you get to the hotel? I came by xe ôm.
