nghệ

cây (classifier)
củ (classifier)
乂 (CJK)
艾 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *ŋɛːlʔ (“turmeric”). Probably of Kra-Dai origin, compare Proto-Kra *C-ŋilꟲ ("yellow").


nghệ tây

[ŋe˧˨ʔ təj˧˧]

[ŋej˨˩ʔ təj˧˧]

[ŋej˨˩˨ təj˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-nghệ tây.wav

Audio (Hà Nội)

Crocus sativus
Crocus sativus#Translingual


bồ câu

[ʔɓo˨˩ kəw˧˧]

[ʔɓow˦˩ kəw˧˧]

[ʔɓow˨˩ kəw˧˧]

The first element can also be seen in words like bồ nông (“pelican”), bồ các (“magpie”). For the second element, see cu; it is ultimately onomatopoeic. Compare Thai เขา (kǎo), Chinese 鳩 (OC *[k](r)u) (B-S), Burmese ခို (hkui), English coo.

Trái Đất này là của chúng mình;
Quả bóng xanh bay giữa trời xanh.
Bồ câu ơi, tiếng chim gù thương mến;
Hải âu ơi, cánh chim vờn sóng biển;
Cùng bay nào! Cho Trái Đất quay!
Cùng bay nào! Cho Trái Đất quay!

1978, Định Hải, Bài ca Trái Đất (The Earth's Song):

This Earth belongs to us;
A blue ball floating in the blue sky
O doves, ye cooing-birds with lovely songs;
O gulls, ye whose wings glide above the seas' waves;
Fly [ye] together, so the Earth shall turn!
Fly [ye] together, so the Earth shall turn!


nấm kim châm

[nəm˧˦ kim˧˧ t͡ɕəm˧˧]

[nəm˦˧˥ kim˧˧ t͡ɕəm˧˧]

Calque of Chinese 金針菇 /金针菇 (kim châm cô).


quản tượng

[kwaːn˧˩ tɨəŋ˧˨ʔ]

[kwaːŋ˧˨ tɨəŋ˨˩ʔ]

[waːŋ˨˩˦ tɨəŋ˨˩˨]


kinh giới

[kïŋ˧˧ zəːj˧˦]

[kɨn˧˧ jəːj˨˩˦]

[kɨn˧˧ jəːj˦˥]


nhộng

head

<i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">phonemic reduplicative</i>

vi-noun

(classifier con) nhộng • (蛹, 𧊊) (phonemic reduplicative nhồng nhộng)

con (classifier)
蛹 (CJK)
𧊊 (CJK)
nhồng nhộng (reduplication)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 蛹 (“pupa; chrysalis”, SV: dõng, dũng).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">dõng, dũng</i>


nhót tây

cây (classifier)
trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)

[ɲɔt̚˧˦ təj˧˧]

[ɲɔk̚˦˧˥ təj˧˧]

[ɲɔk̚˦˥ təj˧˧]

nhót (“bastard oleaster”) + tây (“Western”).


cây Nô-en

[kəj˧˧ no˧˧ ʔɛn˧˧]

[kəj˧˧ now˧˧ ʔɛŋ˧˧]

[kəj˧˧ now˧˧ ʔɛŋ˧˧]


nho

Alternative letter-case form of Nho (“Ruist; Confucianist”)


quy

(Chinese mythology) the Turtle, one of the Four Benevolent Animals


đỉa trâu

[ʔɗiə˧˩ t͡ɕəw˧˧]

[ʔɗiə˧˨ ʈəw˧˧]

[ʔɗiə˨˩˦ ʈəw˧˧]

kind of large leech; either the horse-leech (Haemopis sanguisuga) or the European medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis)


gấu trúc

[ɣəw˧˦ t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˦]

[ɣəw˨˩˦ ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ɣəw˦˥ ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˥]

gấu (“bear”) + trúc (竹) (“a kind of bamboo”).
Sometimes gấu mèo (literally “cat bear”) can be seen used as a synonym, but this is mostly seen in translation of Chinese sources that use 貓熊 /猫熊 (māoxióng). In Vietnamese, gấu mèo usually refers to the raccoon.


cải thìa

[kaːj˧˩ tʰiə˨˩]

[kaːj˧˨ tʰiə˦˩]

[kaːj˨˩˦ tʰiə˨˩]


ruồi trâu

[zuəj˨˩ t͡ɕəw˧˧]

[ʐuj˦˩ ʈəw˧˧]

[ɹuj˨˩ ʈəw˧˧]


𤙭

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 牛 (“bovine”) + phonetic 甫 (phủ).

Han compound

a Southern Yellow zebu (a bovine of the breed Feng cattle)

(by extension) any bovine from the subtribe Bovina

chữ Nôm form of bò.
any bovine from the subtribe Bovina


trám

vi-noun

(classifier cây, quả, trái) trám • (𬄦, 簪, 蘸)

cây (classifier)
quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)
𬄦 (CJK)
簪 (CJK)
蘸 (CJK)

Related to Zhuang gyamj (as in makgyamj) and Chinese 橄欖 (MC kamX lamX) (originally borrowed from a southern language).

(Northern Vietnam) plants of the genus Canarium


buồng

From Proto-Vietic *bɔːŋ, from Proto-Austroasiatic *bu:ŋˀ (“bunch, cluster”).
Attested as buầng in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).


bạch dương

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩˨ jɨəŋ˧˧]


nhện

vi-noun

(classifier con) nhện • (蝒, 󰔓, 𦟶) (phonemic reduplicative nhền nhện)

con (classifier)
蝒 (CJK)
𦟶 (CJK)
nhền nhện (reduplication)

From Proto-Vietic *ɲeːɲʔ (“spider”). Compare Nghệ An/Hà Tĩnh dialects nhệnh.


khóm

a species of pineapple commonly found in southern Vietnam


củ cải

[kʊw˨˩˦ kaːj˨˩˦]

củ (“root, tuber”) + cải (“cruciferous vegetables: coles, mustards, cabbages”).

com

Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus#Translingual

Raphanus sativus
Raphanus sativus#Translingual

radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus, syn. Raphanus sativus), particularly the Vietnamese varieties of daikon, the East Asian long white radish.


thú ăn kiến

[tʰu˧˦ ʔan˧˧ kiən˧˦]

[tʰʊw˨˩˦ ʔaŋ˧˧ kiəŋ˦˧˥]

[tʰʊw˦˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ kiəŋ˦˥]

thú (“mammal”) + ăn (“to eat”) + kiến (“ant”).


cá kình

[kaː˧˦ kïŋ˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ kɨn˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ kɨn˨˩]

(dialectal) a species of fish found in Hue, Vietnam


sa giông

[saː˧˧ zəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʂaː˧˧ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[saː˧˧ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʂaː˧˧ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[saː˧˧ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]


kì giông

[ki˨˩ zəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kɪj˦˩ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kɪj˨˩ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

Perhaps from a dialectal (likely northern) pronunciation of kì nhông (“iguana”).


cá cóc

[kaː˨˩˦ kawk͡p̚˦˧˥]


manh giông

[majŋ̟˧˧ zəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[mɛɲ˧˧ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]

manh + giông (“salamander”); the first element is the Sino-Vietnamese word from 盲 (“blind”).
Most likely derived from Chinese 盲螈 (manh nguyên, “blind salamander”), with Sinitic 螈 (nguyên) being replaced by native giông while still keeping Chinese head-final structure. The result of regular calqueing would be *(kì) giông mù.


cá cóc Tam Đảo

[kaː˧˦ kawk͡p̚˧˦ taːm˧˧ ʔɗaːw˧˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ kawk͡p̚˦˧˥ taːm˧˧ ʔɗaːw˧˨]

[kaː˦˥ kawk͡p̚˦˥ taːm˧˧ ʔɗaːw˨˩˦]


kì nhông

[ki˨˩ ɲəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kɪj˦˩ ɲəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kɪj˨˩ ɲəwŋ͡m˧˧]

The first element might originally be a presyllable. Related to kì giông and North Central chôông.
There is also the form without the presyllable (nhông).

Kì Nhông là ông Kì Đà, Kì Đà là cha Cắc Ké, Cắc Ké là mẹ Kì Nhông.

Iguana is Monitor's grandpa, Monitor is Gecko's father, Gecko is Iguana's mother.


kiến sư tử

[kiən˧˦ sɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˩]

[kiəŋ˦˧˥ ʂɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˨]

[kiəŋ˦˧˥ sɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˨]

[kiəŋ˦˥ ʂɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦]

[kiəŋ˦˥ sɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦]

kiến (“ant”) + sư tử (“lion”), calque of French fourmilion or English antlion.


mét

(North Central Vietnam) a kind of bamboo


đà điểu

[ʔɗaː˨˩ ʔɗiəw˧˩]

[ʔɗaː˦˩ ʔɗiw˧˨]

[ʔɗaː˨˩ ʔɗiw˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鴕鳥 (“ostrich”).

vi-etym-sino

đà điểu Phi/Mĩ/Úc
a(n) ostrich/rhea/emu


tinh tinh lùn

[tïŋ˧˧ tïŋ˧˧ lun˨˩]

[tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧ lʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

tinh tinh (“chimpanzee”) + lùn (“short”), literally "dwarf/short chimpanzee", a calque of Chinese 矮黑猩猩.


dưa chuột biển

[zɨə˧˧ t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ ʔɓiən˧˩]

[jɨə˧˧ t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[jɨə˧˧ cuək̚˨˩˨ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]


vích

olive ridley sea turtle
olive ridley sea turtle


tinh tinh

[tïŋ˧˧ tïŋ˧˧]

[tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

[tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-tinh tinh.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 猩猩 (“ape; orangutan”), from Chinese 猩猩 (xīngxing).


béc-giê

[ʔɓɛk̚˧˦ ze˧˧]

[ʔɓɛk̚˦˧˥ jej˧˧]

[ʔɓɛk̚˦˥ jej˧˧]

Borrowed from French berger (“shepherd”).


Sửu

Sino-Vietnamese word from 丑. Cognate with Northern Thai ᨸᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ, Lü ᦔᧁᧉ (ṗaw²), Isan เป้า, Lao ເປົ້າ (pao).

cog

Lü ᦔᧁᧉ (ṗaw²)

(dated) a unisex given name from Chinese


Mão

Sino-Vietnamese word from 卯. Cognate with Northern Thai ᩉ᩠ᨾᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ, Lü ᦖᧁᧉ (ṁaw²), Isan เหม้า, Lao ເໝົ້າ (mao).

Lü ᦖᧁᧉ (ṁaw²)

the fourth earthly branch represented by the Cat in Vietnam and by the Rabbit in China


Dần

Sino-Vietnamese word from 寅. Cognate with Northern Thai ᨿᩦ᩵, Lü ᦍᦲ (yii), Isan ยี่, Lao ຍີ່ (nyī).

the third earthly branch represented by the Tiger


Tị

Sino-Vietnamese word from 巳. Cognate with Northern Thai ᩈᩱ᩶, Lü ᦺᦉᧉ (ṡay²), Isan ใส้, Lao ໃສ້ (sai).

Lü ᦺᦉᧉ (ṡay²)

the sixth earthly branch represented by the Snake


Ngọ

Sino-Vietnamese word from 午. Regular reading should be Ngỗ; compare regular reading ngỗ of 仵 (MC nguX), homophone of 午 (MC nguX) in Middle Chinese.
Cognate with Northern Thai ᩈᨦ᩶ᩣ, Lü ᦉᦇ (ṡng), Isan ชะง้า, Lao ສະງ້າ (sa ngā).

the seventh earthly branch represented by the Horse


Mùi

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-mùi.wav

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 未 (SV: vị). Some dictionaries (such as Thiều Chửu's) consider it as Sino-Vietnamese, but the huyền tone is unlikely to be derived from the Middle Chinese departing tone and ui is unlikely to be a Sino-Vietnamese rhyme, compared to the likely tone and rhyme in vị. See also Tí, Mẹo, Thìn, Ngọ.
Cognate with Northern Thai ᨾᩮᩢ᩠ᨯ or ᨾᩮ᩠ᨯ, Lü ᦵᦙᧆ (med), Isan มด, Lao ມົດ (mot).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">vị</i>

vi-etym-sino

the eighth earthly branch represented by the Goat in Vietnam and by the Sheep in China


Thân

Sino-Vietnamese word from 申. Cognate with Northern Thai ᩈᩢ᩠ᨶ, Lü ᦉᧃ (ṡan), Isan สัน, Lao ສັນ (san).

the ninth earthly branch represented by the Monkey


Dậu

Sino-Vietnamese word from 酉. Cognate with Northern Thai ᩁᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ, Lü ᦣᧁᧉ (haw²), Isan เฮ้า, Lao ເຮົ້າ (hao).

the tenth earthly branch represented by the Rooster


Tuất

Sino-Vietnamese word from 戌. Cognate with Northern Thai ᩈᩮ᩠ᨯ or ᩈᩮᩢ᩠ᨯ, Lü ᦵᦉᧆ (ṡed), Isan เส็ด, Lao ເສັດ (set).

cog

Lü ᦵᦉᧆ (ṡed)

the eleventh earthly branch represented by the Dog


Hợi

Sino-Vietnamese word from 亥. Cognate with Northern Thai ᨣᩱ᩶, Lü ᦺᦅᧉ (kay²), Isan ไค้, Lao ໄຄ້ (khai).

the twelfth earthly branch represented by the Pig


khỉ đầu chó

[xi˧˩ ʔɗəw˨˩ t͡ɕɔ˧˦]

[kʰɪj˧˨ ʔɗəw˦˩ t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦]

[xɪj˧˨ ʔɗəw˦˩ t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦]

[kʰɪj˨˩˦ ʔɗəw˨˩ cɔ˦˥]

[xɪj˨˩˦ ʔɗəw˨˩ cɔ˦˥]

khỉ (“monkey; ape”) + đầu (“head”) + chó (“dog”), literally "dog-headed monkey"


khỉ mặt chó

[xi˧˩ mat̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕɔ˧˦]

[kʰɪj˧˨ mak̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦]

[xɪj˧˨ mak̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦]

[kʰɪj˨˩˦ mak̚˨˩˨ cɔ˦˥]

[xɪj˨˩˦ mak̚˨˩˨ cɔ˦˥]

khỉ (“monkey; ape”) + mặt (“face”) + chó (“dog”), literally "dog-faced monkey"


Mi-lu

[mɪj˧˧ lʊw˧˧]

[mɪj˧˧ lʊw˧˧]

Borrowed from French Milou, derived from the French name of the comic character Snowy.


đậu ve

[ʔɗəw˧˨ʔ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩ʔ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩˨ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩˨ jɛ˧˧]

đậu + ve, the later from French haricot vert. Shortened from đậu cô ve.


đậu cô ve

[ʔɗəw˧˨ʔ ko˧˧ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩ʔ kow˧˧ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩˨ kow˧˧ vɛ˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩˨ kow˧˧ jɛ˧˧]

đậu + cô ve, the later from French haricot vert.


gáy

From Proto-Vietic *t-giːʔ; cognate with Sách təki:⁴.
Attested as gấy in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).


thịt cầy

[tʰit̚˧˨ʔ kəj˨˩]

[tʰit̚˨˩ʔ kəj˦˩]

[tʰɨt̚˨˩˨ kəj˨˩]


tiểu hổ

Sino-Vietnamese word from 小虎 (“tiger cub”).


nghé

head

犠, 猊, 霓, 麑, 𤚇, 𤛞

vi-noun

犠, 猊, 霓, 麑, 𤚇, 𤛞

(classifier con) nghé • (犠, 猊, 霓, 麑, 𤚇, 𤛞)

con (classifier)
犠 (CJK)
猊 (CJK)
霓 (CJK)
麑 (CJK)
𤚇 (CJK)
𤛞 (CJK)

Compare Thai แหง่ and Chinese 牛 (MC ngjuw) (and its cognates in other Sino-Tibetan languages), which are all possibly of ultimately imitative origin.

water buffalo calf
water buffalo calf#English


mù tạc

[mu˨˩ taːk̚˧˨ʔ]

[mʊw˦˩ taːk̚˨˩ʔ]

[mʊw˨˩ taːk̚˨˩˨]


mù tạt

[mu˨˩ taːt̚˧˨ʔ]

[mʊw˦˩ taːk̚˨˩ʔ]

[mʊw˨˩ taːk̚˨˩˨]


dế

From Proto-Vietic *-teːlʔ. Cognate with Muong Bi tiểl.


cu li

[kʊw˧˧ lɪj˧˧]

[kʊw˧˧ lɪj˧˧]


rết

con (classifier)
蝎 (CJK)
𧋍 (CJK)
𧎴 (CJK)
𧏲 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *-seːt (“centipede”). Cognate with Muong thết.
This is the Northern form that had undergone lenition but with no vowel raising before stop codas, now also the common formal written form. The other forms with vowel raised can still be seen in informal writing.


cuốn chiếu

[kuən˧˦ t͡ɕiəw˧˦]

[kuəŋ˦˧˥ t͡ɕiw˨˩˦]


ba ba

[ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧]

From Proto-Mon-Khmer *t₁paʔ (“turtle”). Cognate with Proto-Bahnaric *tpaː (“turtle”) (whence Bahnar tơpa), Proto-Katuic *tpaa (“soft-shelled turtle”), Samre m̩pʰaː, Khmu [Cuang] tmpaʔ and Mang maː¹ paː². Compare Proto-Austronesian *qaCipa (“soft-shelled turtle”).


trúc

[t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˦]

[ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 竹 (“bamboo”).
This is an instance of semantic narrowing or alteration sometimes occurs with Sino-Vietnamese items. Compare also hồng (“pink”), from 紅 /红 (“red”).

Trúc xinh, trúc mọc đầu đình. Em xinh, em đứng một mình cũng xinh.

Cute bamboo grows in front of the village portal. You're cute, too, but you're already cute by yourself.

a member of the genus of bamboo, Phyllostachys


voọc

From Proto-Vietic *vɔːk. This appears to be an "internal borrowing" from the Nghệ An/Hà Tĩnh dialects which are known for retaining the old rhymes /*ɔːk/, /*ɔːŋ/, /*oːk/, /*oːŋ/, as these rhymes have evolved into diphthongized forms in most other dialects. Compare Khmer វក (vɔɔk, “Year of the Monkey”).
See also dộc, a synonym, which is now much less used than voọc.


tê tê

head

tê tê • (犀犀)

From Proto-Vietic *-seːl (“scale”). Cognate with Arem atʰiəl ("fishscale"). Compare Proto-Katuic *ʔnsial (“fishscale”) (whence Pacoh xeal, nxeal).
For a parallel of animals named after their notable physical feature, compare Latin cervus (“deer”).


mực

vi-noun

(classifier con (“inkfish → squid”)) mực • (墨, 䘃, 𧞾)

con (classifier)
墨 (CJK)
䘃 (CJK)
𧞾 (CJK)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 墨 (“ink”, SV: mặc). Doublet of mức. Cognate with Muong Bi mâc, Khmer មឹក (mɨk), Lao ໝຶກ (mưk), Thai หมึก (mʉ̀k).
Clipping of cá mực results in sense "inkfish", whence also sense "squid" by semantic narrowing.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">mặc</i>

vi-etym-sino

inkfish (a cephalopod of the Coleoidea subclass, which includes octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish)

Trò chơi con mực

(by semantic narrowing) squid (a ten-limbed cephalopod belonging to the Decapodiformes superorder)


hổ sư

[how˧˨ ʂɨ˧˧]

[how˨˩˦ ʂɨ˧˧]

[how˨˩˦ sɨ˧˧]


sư hổ

[ʂɨ˧˧ how˧˨]

[ʂɨ˧˧ how˨˩˦]

[sɨ˧˧ how˨˩˦]


ngài

From Proto-Vietic *ŋaːj, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *[m]ŋaaj (“human being; person”). Cognate with Muong ngài.


ngài

From Old Chinese 蛾 (OC *ŋˤaj) (B-S) (SV: nga).


ấu trùng

[ʔəw˧˦ t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[ʔəw˨˩˦ ʈʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[ʔəw˦˥ ʈʊwŋ͡m˨˩]


mạ

head

mạ • (𣟭, 𥡗, 𥢂)

vi-noun

mạ • (𣟭, 𥡗, 𥢂)

From Proto-Vietic *s-maːʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *maʔ (“seed”); cognate with Old Mon ma (modern Mon မ (mɛ̀ˀ, “seed, kernel”), Proto-Katuic *hamaa (“seed; breed”) (whence Pacoh mma) and possibly Semelai smaʔ ("person").
Compare also the má element in giống má, lúa má, thuế má.

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-mạ.wav


thạch sùng

[tʰajk̟̚˧˨ʔ sʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩ʔ ʂʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩ʔ sʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩˨ ʂʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩˨ sʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 石崇, from Chinese 石崇 (Shí Chóng), a character from a folktale who died, turned into a house gecko and always tsked over his loss of fortune (which was likened to the way house geckos cry), and was based on a historical figure of the Jin dynasty.

(Northern Vietnam, North Central Vietnam) a common house gecko


bướm

head

𧊉, 𠰏, 𧒅, 蝶, 乏

vi-noun

𧊉, 𠰏, 𧒅, 蝶, 乏

(classifier con) bướm • (𧊉, 𠰏, 𧒅, 蝶, 乏) (phonemic reduplicative bươm bướm)

con (classifier)
𧊉 (CJK)
𠰏 (CJK)
𧒅 (CJK)
蝶 (CJK)
乏 (CJK)
bươm bướm (reduplication)

From Proto-Vietic *paːmʔ. Cognates including Proto-Pong *paːm³, Thổ pəmpɨam³, Hoà Bình Muong pɨəm¹ pɨəm³, Sơn La Muong pɨəm³, Thanh Hoá Muong bɨəm³, Muong Bi pươm pưởm.
Compare also Khmu [Cuang] tlaːmpaːm.


bướm

cây (classifier)
hoa (classifier)
bông (classifier)


thú lông nhím

[tʰu˧˦ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ ɲim˧˦]

[tʰʊw˨˩˦ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ ɲim˦˧˥]

[tʰʊw˦˥ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ ɲim˦˥]

thú (“mammal”) + lông (“fur”) + nhím (“porcupine”), literally "porcupine-furred mammal"


thú mỏ vịt

[tʰu˧˦ mɔ˧˩ vit̚˧˨ʔ]

[tʰʊw˨˩˦ mɔ˧˨ vit̚˨˩ʔ]

[tʰʊw˦˥ mɔ˨˩˦ vɨt̚˨˩˨]

[tʰʊw˦˥ mɔ˨˩˦ jɨt̚˨˩˨]

thú (“mammal”) + mỏ (“beak”) + vịt (“duck”), literally "duck-beaked mammal".


mọt sách

[mɔt̚˧˨ʔ sajk̟̚˧˦]

[mɔk̚˨˩ʔ ʂat̚˦˧˥]

[mɔk̚˨˩ʔ sat̚˦˧˥]

[mɔk̚˨˩˨ ʂat̚˦˥]

[mɔk̚˨˩˨ sat̚˦˥]


gà công nghiệp

[ɣaː˨˩ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ŋiəp̚˧˨ʔ]

[ɣaː˦˩ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ŋiəp̚˨˩ʔ]

[ɣaː˨˩ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ŋip̚˨˩˨]

gà (“chicken”) + công nghiệp (“industry”).

com

(figurative) a child who lacks common sense due to parental protectiveness


tò vò

head

tò vò • (蛆/蟵 + 虶, 𱿭𧋂)

Tò vò mà nuôi con nhện
Đến khi nó lớn, nó quyện nhau đi
Tò vò ngồi khóc tỉ ti
Nhện ơi! Nhện hỡi! Mày đi đằng nào?
If a wasp were to raise a spider
When it be grown up, it would leave
The wasp would sit there weeping
O spider! My spider! Whither art thou gone?


bọ cạp

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ kaːp̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ kaːp̚˨˩˨]

Unknown. Perhaps from bọ (“bug”) + cạp (“outer ring of a basket”).

af

a scorpion (any of various arachnids of the order Scorpiones)


Bạch Dương

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩˨ jɨəŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Bạch Dương.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 白羊 (“white sheep”).


Kim Ngưu

[kim˧˧ ŋɨw˧˧]

[kim˧˧ ŋɨw˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Kim Ngưu.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 金牛 (“golden bull”).


Cự Giải

[kɨ˧˨ʔ zaːj˧˩]

[kɨ˨˩ʔ jaːj˧˨]

[kɨ˨˩˨ jaːj˨˩˦]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Cự Giải.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 巨蟹 (“giant crab”).


Sư Tử

[ʂɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦]

[sɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦]


Bắc Giải

[ʔɓak̚˧˦ zaːj˧˩]

[ʔɓak̚˦˧˥ jaːj˧˨]

[ʔɓak̚˦˥ jaːj˨˩˦]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Bắc Giải.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 北 (“north”) and 蟹 (“crab”). Compare Nam Dương (“Capricorn”, literally “southern goat”).

(astrology, astronomy) Synonym of Cự Giải (“Cancer”)


hải sư

[haːj˧˩ sɨ˧˧]

[haːj˧˨ ʂɨ˧˧]

[haːj˧˨ sɨ˧˧]

[haːj˨˩˦ ʂɨ˧˧]

[haːj˨˩˦ sɨ˧˧]


Bọ Cạp

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ kaːp̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ kaːp̚˨˩˨]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Bọ Cạp.wav

(astrology) Synonym of Thiên Yết (“Scorpio”)


Ma Kết

[maː˧˧ ket̚˦˧˥]

[maː˧˧ kəːt̚˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Ma Kết.wav

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 摩羯 (SV: Ma Yết, Ma Kiết)

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">Ma Yết, Ma Kiết</i>


Nam Dương

Sino-Vietnamese word from 南 (“south”) and 羊 (“caprid”). Compare Bắc Giải (“Cancer”, literally “northern crab”).

[naːm˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[naːm˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[naːm˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Nam Dương.wav

(astronomy) Synonym of Ma Kết (“Capricornus”)


Song Ngư

[sawŋ͡m˧˧ ŋɨ˧˧]

[ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ ŋɨ˧˧]

[sɔŋ˧˧ ŋɨ˧˧]

[ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ ŋɨ˧˧]

[sawŋ͡m˧˧ ŋɨ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Song Ngư.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 雙魚 (“two fish”).


ngan

head

岸, 狺, 鴳, 𪃛, 𪇩

vi-noun

岸, 狺, 鴳, 𪃛, 𪇩

con (classifier)
岸 (CJK)
狺 (CJK)
鴳 (CJK)
𪃛 (CJK)
𪇩 (CJK)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 雁 (“wild goose”, SV: nhạn). Doublet of nhạn.
Likely meant "wild goose" initially.
Sense "muscovy duck" (from the Americas) is attested in Phạm Đình Hổ's 1827 dictionary Nhật dụng thường đàm (日用常談 "Common Words Used Daily") , wherein ngan 鴳 was glossed as 赤靣鴨 (SV: xích diện áp) "red-faced duck" http://nomfoundation.org/common/show.php?detail=2269&uiLang=vn.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">nhạn</i>


vịt trời

[vit̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕəːj˨˩]

[vit̚˨˩ʔ ʈəːj˦˩]

[vɨt̚˨˩˨ ʈəːj˨˩]

[jɨt̚˨˩˨ ʈəːj˨˩]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-vịt trời.wav

vịt (“duck”) + trời (“sky; wild of birds”), literally "wild duck". Compare Chinese 天 (tiān, “sky”) as in 天鵝 /天鹅 (thiên nga, “swan”, literally “sky goose”).

compound

hai người đàn bà và một con vịt thành cái chợ

Nhà tôi có năm con vịt trời.

Oh boy, I've got five little princesses.

(humorous or disapproving) a daughter, with implied disappointment in the fact that she's a girl, or that she might have stereotypically disapproved feminine qualities such as nagging or loquacity


vịt giời

[vit̚˧˨ʔ zəːj˨˩]

[vit̚˨˩ʔ jəːj˦˩]

[vɨt̚˨˩˨ jəːj˨˩]

[jɨt̚˨˩˨ jəːj˨˩]

vịt (“duck”) + giời (“sky; celestial; heavenly”).

Nhà tôi có năm con vịt giời.

(Northern Vietnam, humorous or disapproving) a daughter, whom a family may be disappointed to have because of patriarchy (that favors boys to take care of their immediate families and extended families, and to maintain their family names), or who may possess disapproved stereotypically feminine qualities such as talkativeness, whining and nagging that's likened to a duck's or goose's quacking


sơn dương

[səːn˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 山羊, composed of 山 (“mountain”) and 羊 (“goat”).

vi-etym-sino

(by extension) some other goat-like ungulates that live in mountains, such as the chamois or the ibex


Sơn Dương

Sino-Vietnamese word from 山羊, composed of 山 (“mountain”) and 羊 (“caprid”), from Chinese 山羊 (shānyáng, “goat”), common reading of San Dương. Compare Miên Dương (“Aries”, literally “sheep”).

[səːn˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Sơn Dương.wav

(astrology) Synonym of Ma Kết (“Capricorn”)


Sơn Dương

[səːn˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʂəːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[səːŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

Sơn Dương, the name of various places in Vietnam

Shanyang, the name of various places in China


đoá

Sino-Vietnamese word from 朵/朶 (“cluster of flower”)

Nếu là hoa, tôi sẽ là một đoá hướng dương.

If I were to be a flower, I wish I were a sunflower.


cá heo

[kaː˧˦ hɛw˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ hɛw˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ hɛw˧˧]

From cá (“fish”) + heo (“pig”). For the semantic relationship, compare Chinese 海豚 (hǎitún) and English mereswine.

a dolphin-like cetacean (such as the porpoise)


kì lân biển

[ki˨˩ lən˧˧ ʔɓiən˧˩]

[kɪj˦˩ ləŋ˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[kɪj˨˩ ləŋ˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]

kì lân (“qilin; unicorn”) + biển (“sea”)


khái

From Proto-Vietic *k-haːlʔ / *kʰaːlʔ, from Proto-Austroasiatic *kla(ː)ʔ. Cognate with Khmer ខ្លា (khlaa), Bahnar kla, Khasi khla, Mon ကၠ. Doublet of hổ.
Compare also Khmer ខាល (khaal, “Year of the Tiger”), loaned from an unidentified Vietic source.

Panthera tigris
Panthera tigris#Translingual

(North Central Vietnam) tiger (The mammal Panthera tigris)


vẹt

con (classifier)
𩿠 (CJK)
𪀚 (CJK)
𪆧 (CJK)
𪇴 (CJK)


vẹt

Bruguiera, six species of mangrove plants of coastal areas from east Africa to northern Australia.


đom đóm

[ʔɗɔm˧˧ ʔɗɔm˧˦]

[ʔɗɔm˧˧ ʔɗɔm˦˧˥]

[ʔɗɔm˧˧ ʔɗɔm˦˥]

Reduplication of đóm. Compare bươm bướm (“butterfly”) < bướm, nhền nhện (“spider”) < nhện.
Unlike the mentioned cases, the root *đóm is not in use as a free morpheme.


vòi

cái (classifier)
𦞑 (CJK)
𦟷 (CJK)
𦠽 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *vɔːj. Related to voi (“elephant”).
Attested as uòi in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).

vòi muỗi

(anatomy, by extension) any tube-like organ


đồi mồi

head

đồi mồi • (玳瑁)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 玳瑁 (SV: đại mội). Compare Mandarin 玳瑁 (dàimào, đại mạo / dàimèi, đại mội), Cantonese 玳瑁 (doi⁶ mui⁶, đại mội), Japanese 玳瑁 (taimai, đại mội), Korean 대모 (daemo, from Chinese 玳瑁 (đại mạo)). Compare also loài and loại, vì and vị, mùi and vị, từ and tự, ngoài and ngoại.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">đại mội</i>

cog

from Chinese <i class="Hani mention" lang="zh">玳瑁</i> (đại mạo)

hawksbill sea turtle
hawksbill sea turtle#English


méo

From Proto-Vietic *ɓɛːwʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɓiəwʔ (“askew”); cognate with Muong bẻo, Pacoh tarbeau (“deformed, ill-shaped”). Possibly related to vẹo. Compare Zhuang mbeuj.


gâu

(onomatopoeia) bark; ruff; arf; woof; au au; bow-wow


oẳng

Onomatopoeic. Compare Japanese ワン (wan).

(onomatopoeia) The cry of dog when it's scared


ủn ỉn

head

ủn ỉn • (穩 + 稳/穩)

vi-int

ủn ỉn • (穩 + 稳/穩)

[ʔun˧˩ ʔin˧˩]

[ʔun˧˨ ʔin˧˨]

[ʔʊwŋ͡m˨˩˦ ʔɨn˨˩˦]


cục tác

[kʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ taːk̚˧˦]

[kʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ taːk̚˦˧˥]

[kʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨ taːk̚˦˥]

From Proto-Vietic *k-taːk, from Proto-Austroasiatic *ktaat (“to cluck”), ultimately onomatopoeic. Cognates within Vietic include Muong [Hoà Bình] kuk⁸ taːk⁷, Tho [Cuối Chăm] kuk⁸ taːk⁷, Chut kutaːk⁷, and Arem kutæːk. Other cognates include Mon ကတတ် (“to cluck, cackle”), Nyah Kur [Northern] kǝták ("cackling (of a hen)"), Khmer ខ្តត (khtɑɑt, “to cluck, cackle”), Bahnar kơtak (“cluck, cackle”), Ngeq katoːc ("to crow; to cackle"), Semai kutok (“to cackle, cluck (of a hen)”), Cua takɔːt ("cackle of chicken").


cục ta cục tác

[kʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ taː˧˧ kʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ taːk̚˧˦]

[kʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ taː˧˧ kʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ taːk̚˦˧˥]

[kʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨ taː˧˧ kʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨ taːk̚˦˥]


chiếp

[t͡ɕiəp̚˦˧˥]


ò ó o

[ʔɔ˨˩ ʔɔ˧˦ ʔɔ˧˧]

[ʔɔ˦˩ ʔɔ˨˩˦ ʔɔ˧˧]

[ʔɔ˨˩ ʔɔ˦˥ ʔɔ˧˧]


cà uồm

[kaː˨˩ ʔuəm˨˩]

[kaː˦˩ ʔuəm˦˩]

[kaː˨˩ ʔuəm˨˩]

(onomatopoeia, of a leopard) growl; roar


cúi

con (classifier)
𨆝 (CJK)
會 (CJK)
檜 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *guːrʔ ~ *kuːrʔ; cognates with Muong củi, Chut cûl, Chut [Maleng] kuːl⁴ and Tho [Pong] kuːl⁴. Also compare Angkorian Old Khmer កុរ៑ (kur), a loan from an unidentified Vietic source, whence Khmer កុរ (kol, “Year of the Pig”) and Thai กุน (gun, “Year of the Pig”). (Ferlus, 2013) Additionally, 亥 (OC *[ɡ]ˤəʔ) (B-S) (SV: hợi) is a possible cognate, see there for more.


tam giác long

[taːm˧˧ jaːk̚˦˧˥ lawŋ͡m˧˧]

[taːm˧˧ jaːk̚˦˧˥ lɔŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-tam giác long.wav


sóc chuột

[sawk͡p̚˧˦ t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʂawk͡p̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ]

[sawk͡p̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʂawk͡p̚˦˥ cuək̚˨˩˨]


chuột chù

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕu˨˩]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕʊw˦˩]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ cʊw˨˩]

Attested as chuọt chù in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).


chuột chũi

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕuj˦ˀ˥]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕuj˧˨]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ cuj˨˩˦]


dế trũi

[ze˧˦ t͡ɕuj˦ˀ˥]


cào cào

(taxonomy) a locust (a grasshopper of the family Acrididae)


châu chấu

head

蛛 + 䖡/蛀/蛁/𧋀/𧍌/𧎝

vi-noun

蛛 + 䖡/蛀/蛁/𧋀/𧍌/𧎝

(classifier con) châu chấu • (蛛 + 䖡/蛀/蛁/𧋀/𧍌/𧎝)

[t͡ɕəw˧˧ t͡ɕəw˧˦]

[t͡ɕəw˧˧ t͡ɕəw˨˩˦]

[cəw˧˧ cəw˦˥]

Reduplicated from earlier *chấu, from Proto-Vietic *coːʔ; cognates including Chứt cucùː⁴, Thổ cow¹ cow³, Hoà Bình Muong coː¹ coː³, Sơn La Muong kɔːn¹ coː³, Thanh Hoá Muong coː¹ coː³, Muong Bi chồ chồ coː³ coː³.

Nực cười châu chấu đá xe;
Tưởng rằng chấu ngã, ai dè xe nghiêng
How ludicrous it is: the grasshopper kicking the cart;
'Twas thought the grasshopper would fall, who foresaw the cart rolling over instead?

Exodus 10:4; 2011 Vietnamese translation; English translation from the New Revised Standard Version
For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country.
Vì nếu ngươi từ chối không cho dân Ta đi, ngày mai Ta sẽ đem châu chấu vào trong đất nước ngươi.

(taxonomy) a grasshopper (an insect of the suborder Caelifera)


dế chũi

[ze˧˦ t͡ɕuj˦ˀ˥]


dế nhũi

[ze˧˦ ɲuj˦ˀ˥]


ác là

[ʔaːk̚˧˦ laː˨˩]

[ʔaːk̚˦˧˥ laː˦˩]

[ʔaːk̚˦˥ laː˨˩]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-ác là.wav

ác is derived from Proto-Vietic *ʔaːk (“crow”), from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kʔaak ~ *kʔaik (“crow; to caw”); cognate with Semai eu'ak, Bahnar ak, Khmer ក្អែក (kʼaek). Compare also bồ các.


bồ các

[ʔɓo˨˩ kaːk̚˧˦]

[ʔɓow˦˩ kaːk̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓow˨˩ kaːk̚˦˥]

Element các is from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kʔaak ~ *kʔaik (“crow; to caw”), wherefrom also Proto-Vietic *ʔaːk (“crow”) > ác (“crow”).
Element bồ is found in several birds' names like bồ cốc (“cormorant”), bồ nông (“pelican”), bồ chao (“white-crested laughingthrush”), bồ cắt (“falcon”), bồ câu (“dove, pigeon”).


bạc má

[ʔɓaːk̚˧˨ʔ maː˧˦]

[ʔɓaːk̚˨˩ʔ maː˨˩˦]

[ʔɓaːk̚˨˩˨ maː˦˥]


bách thanh

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˦ tʰajŋ̟˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˦˧˥ tʰɛɲ˧˧]

[ʔɓat̚˦˥ tʰan˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 百 (“hundred”) and 聲 (“sound, voice”).
Semantically, compare Japanese 百舌 (mozu, “shrike”), where both the actual etymology and the consequent spelling contain an element meaning "hundred". Compare also Chinese 伯勞 /伯劳 (bóláo, “shrike”), where the first element can be read in Sino-Vietnamese as bách (aside from the more common bá).


bào ngư

[ʔɓaːw˨˩ ŋɨ˧˧]

[ʔɓaːw˦˩ ŋɨ˧˧]

[ʔɓaːw˨˩ ŋɨ˧˧]


bắt cô trói cột

[ʔɓat̚˧˦ ko˧˧ t͡ɕɔj˧˦ kot̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɓak̚˦˧˥ kow˧˧ ʈɔj˨˩˦ kok̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɓak̚˦˥ kow˧˧ ʈɔj˦˥ kok̚˨˩˨]

Onomatopoeic; literally "catch the lady/aunt and tie her to the pillar/column"

(onomatopoeia) The cry of an Indian cuckoo


bìm bịp

[ʔɓim˨˩ ʔɓip̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɓim˦˩ ʔɓip̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɓim˨˩ ʔɓip̚˨˩˨]

Reduplicated form of the earlier *bịp, probably of imitative origin. Compare bịp bịp.


bọ ngựa

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ ŋɨə˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ ŋɨə˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ ŋɨə˨˩˨]

bọ (“bug”) + ngựa (“horse”).
Compounds for "mantis" that contain "horse" seem to be rather common all over Asia. Compare the synonym ngựa trời (literally “sky/heavenly horse”), Khmer កណ្ដូបសេះ (kɑɑkɑndoup seh, literally “horse grasshopper”), Chinese 天馬 /天马 (tiānmǎ, literally “sky/heavenly horse”), Taiwanese Hakka 草馬仔 /草马仔 (literally “grass horse”), Zhuang daekmax (literally “horse grasshopper”), Awaji Japanese ホトケウマ (hotokeuma, literally “the dead's horse”), Turkmen hudaýaty (literally “God's horse”), Crimean Tatar şeytan atı (literally “Satan's/devil's horse”).


bọ rùa

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ zuə˨˩]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ ʐuə˦˩]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ ɹuə˨˩]


bọ hung

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ hʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ hʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ hʊwŋ͡m˧˧]


bọ xít

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ sit̚˧˦]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ sit̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ sɨt̚˦˥]


bói cá

[ʔɓɔj˧˦ kaː˧˦]

[ʔɓɔj˨˩˦ kaː˨˩˦]

[ʔɓɔj˦˥ kaː˦˥]

From bói (“to divine, to fortune-telling”) + cá (“fish”), literally "fish fortune teller".


bồ nông

[ʔɓo˨˩ nəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʔɓow˦˩ nəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʔɓow˨˩ nəwŋ͡m˧˧]

From nông (“pelican (obsolete)”) and prefix bồ found in several birds' names like bồ cốc (“cormorant”), bồ các (“Eurasian magpie”), bồ chao (“white-crested laughingthrush”), bồ cắt (“falcon”), bồ câu (“dove, pigeon”)


bồng chanh

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˨˩ t͡ɕajŋ̟˧˧]

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˦˩ t͡ɕɛɲ˧˧]

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˨˩ can˧˧]


cà cuống

[kaː˨˩ kuəŋ˧˦]

[kaː˦˩ kuəŋ˦˧˥]

[kaː˨˩ kuəŋ˦˥]


cá bống

[kaː˧˦ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˦˥]

里巷歌謠 Lý hạng ca dao (Folk-ballads from the hamlets and alleys), folio 16b
些𧗱些攕𥬊鈎
鈎𥙩𩵜𩸮𤍇蒌集翔
Ta về ta sắm cần câu.
Câu lấy cá bống, nấu rau tập tàng.
I'll return and buy a fishing rod;
To fish for gobies to cook alongsides mixed greens.


cá bơn

[kaː˧˦ ʔɓəːn˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔɓəːŋ˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ʔɓəːŋ˧˧]


cá chép

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕɛp̚˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕɛp̚˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ cɛp̚˦˥]


cá chuồn

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕuən˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕuəŋ˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ cuəŋ˨˩]


cá đuối

head

cá đuối • (𩵜𩼷)

[kaː˧˦ ʔɗuəj˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔɗuj˨˩˦]

[kaː˦˥ ʔɗuj˦˥]

a ray; batoid (fish of the superorder Batoidea)


cá hồi

From cá (“fish”) + hồi, the latter is Sino-Vietnamese word from 回 (“to return”), so called for the way they "return" upstream to spawn.


cá mè

head

cá mè • (个/𩵜 + 䱊/𩹪)

[kaː˧˦ mɛ˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ mɛ˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ mɛ˨˩]


cá ngựa

[kaː˧˦ ŋɨə˧˨ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ ŋɨə˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ ŋɨə˨˩˨]


cá nhà táng

[kaː˧˦ ɲaː˨˩ taːŋ˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ɲaː˦˩ taːŋ˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ ɲaː˨˩ taːŋ˦˥]

Probably from cá (“fish”) + nhà táng (“a kind of structure, placed above a coffin”).


cá phổi

cá (“fish”) + phổi (“lung”), calque of English lungfish.


cá quả

head

cá quả • (𩵜𩸄)

[kaː˨˩˦ kwaː˧˨]

[kaː˦˥ waː˨˩˦]


cá thu

[kaː˧˦ tʰu˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ tʰʊw˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ tʰʊw˧˧]

The second element is from a Tai language. Compare Thai ทู (tuu).
Curiously, the Pacific saury, also known as the mackerel pike, is called cá thu đao in Vietnamese, corresponding to 秋刀魚 /秋刀鱼 (qiūdāoyú) (SV: thu đao ngư) in Chinese.
The thu elements in cá thu ("mackerel") and cá thu đao ("mackerel pike") are therefore seemingly unrelated, with the former being a Tai loan, while the latter is the Sino-Vietnamese reading of 秋 (qiū).


cá trắm cỏ

个/𩵜 + 簪/𩻛/𩻕 + 苦/𦹯/𦹵

vi-noun

个/𩵜 + 簪/𩻛/𩻕 + 苦/𦹯/𦹵

(classifier con) cá trắm cỏ • (个/𩵜 + 簪/𩻛/𩻕 + 苦/𦹯/𦹵)

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕam˧˦ kɔ˧˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʈam˦˧˥ kɔ˧˨]

[kaː˦˥ ʈam˦˥ kɔ˨˩˦]


cá trê

head

个/𩵜 + 徹/鯔/𩵾/𩸴

vi-noun

个/𩵜 + 徹/鯔/𩵾/𩸴

(classifier con) cá trê • (个/𩵜 + 徹/鯔/𩵾/𩸴)

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕe˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʈej˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ʈej˧˧]

From cá (“fish”) + trê, the latter from Proto-Vietic *c-lɛːl; cognate with Muong tliêl and Chut [Rục] calèɛl².

airbreathing catfish
airbreathing catfish


cá vàng

[kaː˧˦ vaːŋ˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ vaːŋ˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ vaːŋ˨˩]

[kaː˦˥ jaːŋ˨˩]

1984, Hà Hải, "Cá Vàng Bơi (The Swimming Goldfish)"; performances by Đặng Nhật Anh and Lan Hương
Hai vây xinh xinh, cá vàng bơi trong bể nước; ngoi lên, lặn xuống, cá vàng múa tung tăng

Its two fins so pretty, the goldfish swims in the tank; rising up, diving down, the goldfish dances around joyfully.


cái ghẻ

[kaːj˧˦ ɣɛ˧˩]

[kaːj˨˩˦ ɣɛ˧˨]

[kaːj˦˥ ɣɛ˨˩˦]


cầu gai

[kəw˨˩ ɣaːj˧˧]

[kəw˦˩ ɣaːj˧˧]

[kəw˨˩ ɣaːj˧˧]


chào mào

[t͡ɕaːw˨˩ maːw˨˩]

[t͡ɕaːw˦˩ maːw˦˩]

The second element is mào (“crest”), while the first element is fairly obscure.


cheo cheo

[t͡ɕɛw˧˧ t͡ɕɛw˧˧]

[t͡ɕɛw˧˧ t͡ɕɛw˧˧]

[cɛw˧˧ cɛw˧˧]

chevrotain; mouse deer (of the family Tragulidae)


chèo bẻo

[t͡ɕɛw˨˩ ʔɓɛw˧˩]

[t͡ɕɛw˦˩ ʔɓɛw˧˨]

[cɛw˨˩ ʔɓɛw˨˩˦]


chìa vôi

[t͡ɕiə˨˩ voj˧˧]

[t͡ɕiə˦˩ voj˧˧]

(by extension) any birds of the family Motacillidae


chích bông

[t͡ɕïk̟̚˧˦ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[t͡ɕɨt̚˦˧˥ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[cɨt̚˦˥ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧]


chích choè

[t͡ɕïk̟̚˧˦ t͡ɕwɛ˨˩]

[t͡ɕɨt̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕwɛ˦˩]

[cɨt̚˦˥ c⁽ʷ⁾ɛ˨˩]

Old World flycatcher
Old World flycatcher

(zoology, by extension) any Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae spp.)


chim cánh cụt

[t͡ɕim˧˧ kajŋ̟˧˦ kut̚˧˨ʔ]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ kɛɲ˦˧˥ kʊk̚˨˩ʔ]

chim (“bird”) + cánh (“wing”) + cụt (“shortened, cut off”).


chim di

[t͡ɕim˧˧ jɪj˧˧]


mai hoa

red avadavat; red munia; strawberry finch


chim sâu

[t͡ɕim˧˧ səw˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ʂəw˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ səw˧˧]

[cim˧˧ ʂəw˧˧]


chuồn chuồn

[t͡ɕuən˨˩ t͡ɕuən˨˩]

[t͡ɕuəŋ˦˩ t͡ɕuəŋ˦˩]

[cuəŋ˨˩ cuəŋ˨˩]

Chuồn chuồn bay thấp thì mưa, bay cao thì nắng, bay vừa thì râm.

It will be sunny if dragonflies fly high, rainy if low, cloudy if just not too high or too low.

vìn vịn[w:Phú Vang district|An Truyền region]]>


chuồn chuồn kim

[t͡ɕuən˨˩ t͡ɕuən˨˩ kim˧˧]

[t͡ɕuəŋ˦˩ t͡ɕuəŋ˦˩ kim˧˧]

[cuəŋ˨˩ cuəŋ˨˩ kim˧˧]

chuồn chuồn (“dragonfly”) + kim (“needle”).


chuột bạch

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ ʔɓat̚˨˩˨]

chuột (“mouse, rat”) + bạch (“white”), calque of Chinese 白鼠 (bạch thử). Chinese 白 (“white”) was likely not translated to trắng in order to indicate that the compound refers specifically white laboratory mouse and not just any white mouse or rat.

a white mouse, especially a white laboratory mouse


chuột lang

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ laːŋ˧˧]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ laːŋ˧˧]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ laːŋ˧˧]


cú lợn

[ku˧˦ ləːn˧˨ʔ]

[kʊw˨˩˦ ləːŋ˨˩ʔ]

[kʊw˦˥ ləːŋ˨˩˨]


cun cút

[kun˧˧ kʊk̚˦˧˥]

[kʊwŋ͡m˧˧ kʊk͡p̚˦˥]


đại bàng

[ʔɗaːj˧˨ʔ ʔɓaːŋ˨˩]

[ʔɗaːj˨˩ʔ ʔɓaːŋ˦˩]

[ʔɗaːj˨˩˨ ʔɓaːŋ˨˩]

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 大鵬 (SV: đại bằng).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">đại bằng</i>


đầu rìu

[ʔɗəw˨˩ ziw˨˩]

[ʔɗəw˦˩ ʐiw˦˩]

[ʔɗəw˨˩ ɹiw˨˩]


ễnh ương

[ʔəjŋ̟˦ˀ˥ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔen˧˨ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəːn˨˩˦ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

Probably onomatopoeic. Compare Thai อึ่งอ่าง (ʉ̀ng-àang).


mã lực

[maː˦ˀ˥ lɨk̚˧˨ʔ]

[maː˧˨ lɨk̚˨˩ʔ]

[maː˨˩˦ lɨk̚˨˩˨]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 馬力, composed of 馬 (“horse”) and 力 (“power”).


voi ma-mút

[vɔj˧˧ maː˧˧ mut̚˧˦]

[vɔj˧˧ maː˧˧ mʊk̚˦˧˥]

[vɔj˧˧ maː˧˧ mʊk͡p̚˦˥]

[jɔj˧˧ maː˧˧ mʊk͡p̚˦˥]


giun tròn

[zun˧˧ t͡ɕɔn˨˩]

[jun˧˧ ʈɔŋ˦˩]

[jʊwŋ͡m˧˧ ʈɔŋ˨˩]


giun dẹp

[zun˧˧ zɛp̚˧˨ʔ]

[jun˧˧ jɛp̚˨˩ʔ]

[jʊwŋ͡m˧˧ jɛp̚˨˩˨]


Động vật nguyên sinh

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ vət̚˧˨ʔ ŋwiən˧˧ sïŋ˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ vək̚˨˩˨ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ jək̚˨˩˨ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

Calque of Chinese 原生動物 /原生动物 (nguyên sinh động vật)


Ruột khoang

[zuət̚˧˨ʔ xwaːŋ˧˧]

[ʐuək̚˨˩ʔ kʰwaːŋ˧˧]

[ʐuək̚˨˩ʔ xwaːŋ˧˧]

[ɹuək̚˨˩˨ kʰwaːŋ˧˧]

[ɹuək̚˨˩˨ xwaːŋ˧˧]


giun đốt

[zun˧˧ ʔɗot̚˧˦]

[jun˧˧ ʔɗok̚˦˧˥]

[jʊwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗok̚˦˥]

a ringed worm; a segmented worm; an annelid


Thân mềm

[tʰəŋ˧˧ mem˦˩]

[tʰəŋ˧˧ mem˨˩]

thân (“body”) + mềm (“soft”), calque of Chinese 軟體 /软体 (Nhuyễn thể)


Chân khớp

[t͡ɕən˧˧ xəːp̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕəŋ˧˧ kʰəːp̚˦˧˥]

[t͡ɕəŋ˧˧ xəːp̚˦˧˥]

[cəŋ˧˧ kʰəːp̚˦˥]

[cəŋ˧˧ xəːp̚˦˥]

chân (“leg”) + khớp (“joint”), calque of Chinese 節肢 /节肢 (tiết chi)

ngành Chân khớp


Giáp xác

[zaːp̚˧˦ saːk̚˧˦]

[jaːp̚˦˧˥ saːk̚˦˧˥]

[jaːp̚˦˥ saːk̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 甲殼, composed of 甲 (“armor”) and 殼 (“shell”).


Hình nhện

[hïŋ˨˩ ɲen˧˨ʔ]

[hɨn˦˩ ɲen˨˩ʔ]

[hɨn˨˩ ɲəːn˨˩˨]


Sâu bọ

[səw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ]

[ʂəw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ]

[səw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ]

[ʂəw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩˨]

[səw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩˨]


dây sống

[zəj˧˧ səwŋ͡m˧˦]

[jəj˧˧ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[jəj˧˧ səwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[jəj˧˧ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˥]

[jəj˧˧ səwŋ͡m˦˥]


động vật có xương sống

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ vət̚˧˨ʔ kɔ˧˦ sɨəŋ˧˧ səwŋ͡m˧˦]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ kɔ˨˩˦ sɨəŋ˧˧ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ kɔ˨˩˦ sɨəŋ˧˧ səwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ vək̚˨˩˨ kɔ˦˥ sɨəŋ˧˧ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˥]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ jək̚˨˩˨ kɔ˦˥ sɨəŋ˧˧ səwŋ͡m˦˥]

động vật (“animal”) + có (“to have”) + xương sống (“vertebra”)


Cá sụn

[kaː˨˩˦ ʂun˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ sun˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ ʂʊwŋ͡m˨˩˨]

[kaː˦˥ sʊwŋ͡m˨˩˨]


Cá xương

[kaː˧˦ sɨəŋ˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ sɨəŋ˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ sɨəŋ˧˧]


Lưỡng cư

[lɨəŋ˦ˀ˥ kɨ˧˧]

[lɨəŋ˧˨ kɨ˧˧]

[lɨəŋ˨˩˦ kɨ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 兩 (“double”) and 居 (“to dwell”). Compare Chinese 兩棲 /两栖 (lưỡng tê).


Bò sát

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ saːt̚˧˦]

[ʔɓɔ˦˩ ʂaːk̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓɔ˦˩ saːk̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ ʂaːk̚˦˥]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ saːk̚˦˥]

bò + sát, referring to the fact that most extant reptiles crawl (bò) with their belly near (sát) the ground.


Chim

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-chim.wav


Thú

lớp Thú/Có vú


Người

Proto-Vietic *ŋaaj, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *(m-)ŋaaj (“human being; person”)

inh

Genesis 1:31; 2011 Vietnamese translation from KPA version; 2021 English translation from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Thiên Chúa thấy mọi sự Người đã làm ra quả là rất tốt đẹp! Qua một buổi chiều và một buổi sáng: đó là ngày thứ sáu.
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.


thuỷ tức

[tʰwi˧˩ tɨk̚˧˦]

[tʰwɪj˧˨ tɨk̚˦˧˥]

[tʰ⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩˦ tɨk̚˦˥]

a hydra (any of several small freshwater polyps of the genus Hydra and related genera)


hải quỳ

[haːj˨˩˦ wɪj˨˩]


báo bờm

[ʔɓaːw˧˦ ʔɓəːm˨˩]

[ʔɓaːw˨˩˦ ʔɓəːm˦˩]

[ʔɓaːw˦˥ ʔɓəːm˨˩]


Mèo

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-mèo.wav

(now dated, can be derogatory) the Hmong people


muông

From Proto-Vietic *t-mɔːŋ (“civet”). Compare Mang muaŋ⁶ ("civet").
Aside from a few compounds, the word is no longer used in Vietnamese. It also seems to once function as a classifier for a few animals, as attested in muông ſư tử (“a lion”) (in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum) and 獴麟 (muông lân, “a female of the qilin”) (in the Thi kinh giải âm, 詩經解音, a giải âm quasi-translation of the Shijing).
The undiphthongized form of this word might be preserved in the name of Con Moong cave, located in northern Thanh Hoá.

(obsolete) Indicates wild and/or big animals.


𩵜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 魚 (“fish”) + phonetic 亇 (cá).


xà lách

[saː˦˩ lat̚˦˧˥]


hà mã

[haː˨˩ maː˦ˀ˥]

[haː˦˩ maː˧˨]

[haː˨˩ maː˨˩˦]


chuột túi

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ tuj˧˦]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ tuj˨˩˦]

chuột (“rat; mouse”) + túi (“pouch”), calque of Chinese 袋鼠 (đại thử, literally “pouched rat”).


sư tử Hà Đông

head

sư tử Hà Đông

sư tử Hà Đông

vi-noun

sư tử Hà Đông

sư tử Hà Đông

[sɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˩ haː˨˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʂɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˨ haː˦˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[sɨ˧˧ tɨ˧˨ haː˦˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʂɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦ haː˨˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[sɨ˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦ haː˨˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˧]

Calque of Chinese 河東獅子 /河东狮子 (Hà Đông sư tử, literally “Hedong's lioness”), equivalent to sư tử + Hà Đông. See also Chinese 河東獅吼 /河东狮吼 (Hà Đông sư hống, literally “Hedong's lioness's roar”).

cal

Hà Đông sư tử

cog

Hàng tháng tôi phải nộp lương cho vợ, không thì con sư tử Hà Đông đó giết tôi mất!

I have to submit my salary to my wife every month, or else that Hedong lioness will kill me!

(figurative) an aggressive woman who's intimidating to her own husband or lover


bờm

Perhaps from a folktale of a silly, clumsy boy named "Bờm", who was offered many valuable things in exchange for his fan, but refused them all and only accepted a handful of sticky rice. This tale is usually expressed in poetic form.
Thằng Bờm có cái quạt mo
Phú ông xin đổi ba bò chín trâu
Bờm rằng Bờm chẳng lấy trâu
Phú ông xin đổi một xâu cá mè
Bờm rằng Bờm chẳng lấy mè
Phú ông xin đổi một bè gỗ lim
Bờm rằng Bờm chẳng lấy lim
Phú ông xin đổi con chim đồi mồi
Bờm rằng Bờm chẳng lấy mồi
Phú ông xin đổi nắm xôi, Bờm cười.
: Bờm-boy'd got a spathe fan
: Rich man asked for it for three zebus and nine buffaloes
: Bờm said Bờm wanted no buffaloes
: Rich man asked for it for a string of barbs
: Bờm said Bờm wanted no barbs
: Rich man asked for it for a raft made of ge mu
: Bờm said Bờm wanted no ge mu
: Rich man asked for it for a bird statue made of the shell of a turtle
: Bờm said Bờm wanted no turtle
: Rich man asked for it for a handful of sticky rice, and Bờm smiled.

(colloquial, humorous) silly and lacking in common sense


sủa

From Proto-Vietic *k-rɔh (“to bark”). Compare Proto-Katuic *kroh (whence Pacoh crouh) and Proto-Palaungic *-rɔːh.
The word might be originally onomatopoeic, although it is no longer so in its modern form.
The similar-looking Mandarin 說／说 (shuō), which means "to speak", is a false cognate.


ác-ti-sô

[ʔaːk̚˧˦ ti˧˧ so˧˧]

[ʔaːk̚˦˧˥ tɪj˧˧ ʂow˧˧]

[ʔaːk̚˦˧˥ tɪj˧˧ sow˧˧]

[ʔaːk̚˦˥ tɪj˧˧ ʂow˧˧]

[ʔaːk̚˦˥ tɪj˧˧ sow˧˧]


bo bo

[ʔɓɔ˧˧ ʔɓɔ˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˧˧ ʔɓɔ˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˧˧ ʔɓɔ˧˧]


chó chê mèo lắm lông

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ t͡ɕe˧˧ mɛw˨˩ lam˧˦ ləwŋ͡m˧˧]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ t͡ɕej˧˧ mɛw˦˩ lam˦˧˥ ləwŋ͡m˧˧]

[cɔ˦˥ cej˧˧ mɛw˨˩ lam˦˥ ləwŋ͡m˧˧]

pot calling the kettle black
pot calling the kettle black#English

(figurative) the pot calling the kettle black


da gà

[zaː˧˧ ɣaː˨˩]

[jaː˧˧ ɣaː˦˩]

[jaː˧˧ ɣaː˨˩]

da (“skin”) + gà (“chicken”), so called due to the feather-free-chicken-skin-like appearance.

nổi da gà


thớt

vi-noun

(classifier cái, chiếc) thớt • (橽, 𣐆, 𣘄)

cái (classifier)
chiếc (classifier)
橽 (CJK)
𣐆 (CJK)
𣘄 (CJK)


thớt

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 匹 (SV: thất).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">thất</i>

vi-etym-sino

Vua trên thớt ngựa chạy sang Bảo Lộc, [...]

1993 [c. 1810], Bùi Dương Lịch, translated by Nguyễn Thị Thảo, Nghệ An ký, Hanoi: NXB Khoa học xã hội, page 337:

The king on horse's [back] fled towards Bảo Lộc, …

[...] đem 3.000 binh đinh, 80 thớt voi chiến, theo đường miền trên vào Ai Lao, [...]

1993 [1889], Viện Sử học, transl., Đại Nam chính biên liệt truyện, Hue: NXB Thuận Hóa, page 538:

… took 3,000 troops, 80 war elephants, to march along the upland into Laos …

(historical or archaic) Indicates certain animals, chiefly horses and elephants.


hồng hạc

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ haːk̚˧˨ʔ]

[həwŋ͡m˦˩ haːk̚˨˩ʔ]

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ haːk̚˨˩˨]


minh ti

[mïŋ˧˧ ti˧˧]

[mɨn˧˧ tɪj˧˧]

[mɨn˧˧ tɪj˧˧]


đeo

Bướm đeo dưới dạ cây bần.
Làm sao kết nghĩa châu trần với nhau


gia súc

[zaː˧˧ sʊwk͡p̚˧˦]

[jaː˧˧ ʂʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[jaː˧˧ sʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[jaː˧˧ ʂʊwk͡p̚˦˥]

[jaː˧˧ sʊwk͡p̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 家畜, composed of 家 (“home”) and 畜 (“livestock”).

gia súc gia cầm


gia cầm

[zaː˧˧ kəm˨˩]

[jaː˧˧ kəm˦˩]

[jaː˧˧ kəm˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 家禽, composed of 家 (“home”) and 禽 (“bird”).


trứng cá

vi-noun

(classifier cây, trái, quả (“Muntingia calabura”)) trứng cá

[t͡ɕɨŋ˧˦ kaː˧˦]

[ʈɨŋ˦˧˥ kaː˨˩˦]

[ʈɨŋ˦˥ kaː˦˥]

trứng (“egg”) + cá (“fish”). Muntingia calabura is so called as the inside of the fruit resembles roe.


mối

From Proto-Vietic *k-moːlʔ ~ *k-muːrʔ ~ *k-moːrʔ. Cognate with Proto-Katuic *kmuar (whence Pacoh camoar (“termite”)), Semai kemur (“caterpillar, maggot”), Khmer ខ្មើរ (khmaə, “flying ant”), ខ្មុល (khmol, “mole cricket”).


mối

From Proto-Vietic *ɓoːlʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɓulʔ ~ *ɓuəl(); cognate with Proto-Bahnaric *ɓuəl ~ *buəl and Mang ɓoːl⁴.

Hemidactylus frenatus
Hemidactylus frenatus#Translingual

(dialectal) common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)


nuốt

(North Central Vietnam) kind of jellyfish (prob. Catostylus sp.)


dẻ

cây (classifier)
hạt (classifier)
quả (classifier)
圯 (CJK)
底 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *-tɛh. Cognate with Tho [Cuối Chăm] tɛː⁵.
Although glossed as "chestnut" by Ferlus (2007), the term might originally have designated a similar tree.

Tuy nhiên, trồng dẻ ngoài chăm sóc đúng kỹ thuật thì còn phụ thuộc nhiều vào thời tiết nên sản lượng không ổn định từng năm.

2022, Công Hải, Toán Nguyễn, “Cây dẻ không... 'hạt dẻ'!”, in Nông nghiệp Việt Nam:

However, besides proper technical care, chestnut orcharding also depends heavily on the weather, which is why yield is highly variable over the years.


thuồng luồng

[tʰuəŋ˨˩ luəŋ˨˩]

[tʰuəŋ˦˩ luəŋ˦˩]

[tʰuəŋ˨˩ luəŋ˨˩]

Disyllabic non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 龍 (SV: long) (Maspero, 1912). Compare rồng.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">long</i>


táo tây

vi-noun

(classifier quả, trái, cây) táo tây • (棗西)

quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)
cây (classifier)
棗西 (CJK)

[taːw˨˩˦ təj˧˧]

Malus domestica
Malus domestica#Translingual


bôm

trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)
cây (classifier)

Borrowed from French pomme; the phoneme /p/ is changed into /ɓ/ as it is not a native onset consonant.


táo ta

(classifier quả, trái, cây) táo ta • (棗𢧲)

quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)
cây (classifier)
棗𢧲 (CJK)

[taːw˨˩˦ taː˧˧]

Ziziphus mauritiana
Ziziphus mauritiana#Translingual

Indian jujube; Indian plum; Chinese apple; dunks (of the species Ziziphus mauritiana)

jharber (of the species Ziziphus nummularia)

a tree of the genus Ziziphus (generally)


thạch lựu

[tʰajk̟̚˧˨ʔ liw˧˨ʔ]

[tʰat̚˨˩ʔ lɨw˨˩ʔ]

[tʰat̚˨˩˨ lɨw˨˩˨]

(literary, otherwise uncommon) pomegranate


phượng hoàng

[fɨəŋ˧˨ʔ hwaːŋ˨˩]

[fɨəŋ˨˩ʔ hwaːŋ˦˩]

[fɨəŋ˨˩˨ waːŋ˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鳳凰 (“fenghuang”). Compare phụng hoàng.


bạc hà

[ʔɓaːk̚˧˨ʔ haː˨˩]

[ʔɓaːk̚˨˩ʔ haː˦˩]

[ʔɓaːk̚˨˩˨ haː˨˩]


sao la

→ English: saola

→ Japanese: サオラ (saora)

[ʂaːw˧˧ laː˧˧]

[ʂaːw˧˧ laː˧˧]

Probably from Lao ເສົາຫລາ (sao lā) ("spindle[-horned]"), or from some other Tai-Kadai language.


lúa mì

[luə˨˩˦ mɪj˦˩]

[luə˦˥ mɪj˨˩]


cá voi sát thủ

[kaː˧˦ vɔj˧˧ saːt̚˧˦ tʰu˧˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ vɔj˧˧ ʂaːk̚˦˧˥ tʰʊw˧˨]

[kaː˨˩˦ vɔj˧˧ saːk̚˦˧˥ tʰʊw˧˨]

[kaː˦˥ vɔj˧˧ ʂaːk̚˦˥ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

[kaː˦˥ jɔj˧˧ saːk̚˦˥ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

From cá voi (“whale”) + sát thủ (“assassin”), calque of English killer whale.


giời

See giai for the sound change. This is the form from the inland Northern dialects.

Giời ạ!


mõm

(of a non-human mammal) a snout or a muzzle


cam thảo

[kaːm˧˧ tʰaːw˨˩˦]


kiến lửa

[kiən˧˦ lɨə˧˩]

[kiəŋ˦˧˥ lɨə˧˨]

[kiəŋ˦˥ lɨə˨˩˦]


chuột nhắt

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ ɲat̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ ɲak̚˦˧˥]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ ɲak̚˦˥]


chàm

From Proto-Vietic *ɟaːm. Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 藍 (SV: lam). Doublet of lam.
The same phonological development can be also seen with chàng and chạp.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">lam</i>

vi-etym-sino

(cây~) tree of the genus Indigofera, commonly used to make indigo dye


nông

Unknown.
As "pelican" unlikely belonged among basic, essential vocabulary items, nông may have descended from a Wanderwort ancestral to Khmer ទុង (tung), Thai กระทุง (grà-tung), and Lao ກະທຸງ (ka thung), all meaning "pelican".

Lý hạng ca dao 里巷歌謠 (Folk-ballads from the hamlets and alleys), folio 36a
丐𪂲丐𪅥丐𪆯
𫳵𡮠踸𪽣穭翁唉𪂲
Cái cò cái vạc cái nông;
Sao mày giẫm ruộng lúa ông hỡi cò?
The stork, the heron, the pelican;
Why troddest thou on my paddy rice, oh stork?


tếch

Vì cơ thương cẩu, lang quân tếch ngàn


thằn lằn bóng

[tʰan˨˩ lan˨˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦]

[tʰaŋ˦˩ laŋ˦˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[tʰaŋ˦˩ laŋ˦˩ ʔɓɔŋ˦˧˥]

[tʰaŋ˨˩ laŋ˨˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥]

thằn lằn (“lizard”) + bóng (“shiny, smooth”).


rắn mối

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ moj˨˩˦]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ moj˦˥]

rắn (“snake”) + mối (“common house gecko”). See also cá mối (“lizardfish”).
The second element is commonly thought be mối (“termite”), which is rationalized as being skinks' preys.

(Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam) skink


giun đũa

[zun˧˧ ʔɗuə˦ˀ˥]

[jun˧˧ ʔɗuə˧˨]

[jʊwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗuə˨˩˦]


ngũ cốc

[ŋu˦ˀ˥ kəwk͡p̚˧˦]

[ŋʊw˧˨ kəwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ŋʊw˨˩˦ kəwk͡p̚˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-ngũ cốc.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 五穀, composed of 五 (“five”) and 穀 (“grain”).


phù du

[fʊw˦˩ jʊw˧˧]

[fʊw˨˩ jʊw˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 蜉蝣 (“mayfly”). Compare French éphémère (“ephemeral; mayfly”).


thiêu thân

[tʰiəw˧˧ tʰən˧˧]

[tʰiw˧˧ tʰəŋ˧˧]

[tʰiw˧˧ tʰəŋ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 焼身 (“self-immolation”), referring to the fact that many species of nocturnal insects are attracted to light sources, even lethal ones like fire.


lửng

Borrowed from Tai; compare Lao ລື່ງ (lư̄ng), Thai หรึ่ง (rʉ̀ng).


mề

head

mề • (𣎊, 𦟂, 𫆿)

cái (classifier)
𣎊 (CJK)
𦟂 (CJK)
𫆿 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic. Cognate with Muong Bi mềl, Thavung mɛ:n¹ (Suwilai, 2000). Also compare Proto-Katuic *meel (“spleen”) (whence Eastern Katu mêl (“spleen”) and Pacoh mêl (“gizzard”)).


bèo

Norman & Mei (1976) proposes a native Austroasiatic origin and compares it to Mon ဗေဝ် (“to ride low in the water”) (< Proto-Mon-Khmer *ber (“to float”)); they also consider Chinese 薸 (OC *bew) to be a loanword from Austroasiatic.
However, Liu (1999) proposes a possible relation of 薸 (OC *bew) to 漂 (OC *pʰew, “to float; to drift”), and Sagart (2008) counts 薸 (OC *bew) among "either East Asian areal words if not Chinese words in disguise"; so the loan direction might have been in reverse, i.e. from Old Chinese.


căng

concentration camp (usually referring to those operated under French colonial administration)


rồng rồng

[zəwŋ͡m˨˩ zəwŋ͡m˨˩]

[ʐəwŋ͡m˦˩ ʐəwŋ͡m˦˩]

[ɹəwŋ͡m˨˩ ɹəwŋ͡m˨˩]


thủ

cơ thủ

kì thủ

game thủ


xuyên sơn

[swiəŋ˧˧ ʂəːŋ˧˧]

[swiəŋ˧˧ səːŋ˧˧]

[s⁽ʷ⁾iəŋ˧˧ ʂəːŋ˧˧]

[s⁽ʷ⁾iəŋ˧˧ səːŋ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 穿山, composed of 穿 (“to pierce”) and 山 (“mountain”), from Chinese 穿山甲 (xuyên sơn giáp).


cá sặc

[kaː˧˦ sak̚˧˨ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʂak̚˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ sak̚˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ ʂak̚˨˩˨]

[kaː˦˥ sak̚˨˩˨]


cá rô

[kaː˨˩˦ ʐow˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ɹow˧˧]


mọt

From Proto-Vietic *k-mɔːc, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kmuət ~ *kmiət; cognate with Muong mọch and Khmer ខ្មូត (khmout).


rái

From Proto-Vietic *p-seːʔ, from Proto-Austroasiatic *bɕeʔ. Cognate with Chut [Rục] pəseː³, Pacoh pixay, Bahnar phei, Khmer ភេ (phei), Mon ဖေံ (pʰeʔ).
Vietic and Katuic are probably conservative in their preservation of -s- - reflecting ancestral medial -ɕ-, which other branches debuccalized into -h-.


rái cá

[ʐaːj˨˩˦ kaː˨˩˦]

[ɹaːj˦˥ kaː˦˥]


đước

head

󰊋, 㯖, 𱤰, 󰌽, 特

đước • (󰊋, 㯖, 𱤰, 󰌽, 特)

vi-noun

󰊋, 㯖, 𱤰, 󰌽, 特

cây (classifier)
㯖 (CJK)
𱤰 (CJK)
特 (CJK)


vắt

con (classifier)
𧉚 (CJK)
𧊎 (CJK)
𧊥 (CJK)

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-vắt.wav


dọc

In spite of Baxter-Sagart (2014)'s proposal, this term certainly was not directly derived from Old Chinese 脰 (OC *kə.dˤok-s) (B-S) (SV: đậu) (which yielded nóc (“rooftop”) instead). If there was even a relationship, it must be a borrowing from a fellow Vietic language, and from there to the Old Chinese term.

sống mũi dọc dừa

tall, slender nosebridge resembling a coconut plant's leafstalk


quýt

cây (classifier)
trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 橘 (SV: quất).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">quất</i>


nha đam

[ɲaː˧˧ ʔɗaːm˧˧]

[ɲaː˧˧ ʔɗaːm˧˧]

[ɲaː˧˧ ʔɗaːm˧˧]


sống đời

[səwŋ͡m˧˦ ʔɗəːj˨˩]

[ʂəwŋ͡m˦˧˥ ʔɗəːj˦˩]

[səwŋ͡m˦˧˥ ʔɗəːj˦˩]

[ʂəwŋ͡m˦˥ ʔɗəːj˨˩]

[səwŋ͡m˦˥ ʔɗəːj˨˩]

sống (“to live; to be alive”) + đời (“generation”); so named because of the plant's remarkable ability for produce bulbils.


vạc

cái (classifier)
𪂱 (CJK)
𪅥 (CJK)
𪅫 (CJK)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 鑊 (“cauldron”, SV: hoạch).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">hoạch</i>


vạc

con (classifier)
𪂱 (CJK)
𪅥 (CJK)
𪅫 (CJK)

Onomatopoeic.
Compare Khmer ខ្វែក (khvaek), Dutch kwak, Maltese kwakka.

black-crowned night heron
black-crowned night heron


thòi lòi

[tʰɔj˨˩ lɔj˨˩]

[tʰɔj˦˩ lɔj˦˩]

[tʰɔj˨˩ lɔj˨˩]


dại

Mày lớn/to đầu mà dại lắm con ạ!

(of a person) naive and lacking in common sense


sên

con (classifier)
𧐖 (CJK)
𬟴 (CJK)
扦 (CJK)


vả

cây (classifier)
trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)
𣛢 (CJK)

From Proto-Austroasiatic *lwa(ː)ʔ. Cognate with Chut [Rục] ʔavᵊah, Khmer ល្វា (lviə) and Mon ဝိ.


rau má

[ʐaw˧˧ maː˨˩˦]

Compare Muong Bi bả (as in tắc bả (“pennywort”)).

rau má đậu xanh

Asiatic pennywort juice with mung bean paste

Centella asiatica
Centella asiatica#Translingual


thanh yên

[tʰajŋ̟˧˧ ʔiən˧˧]

[tʰɛɲ˧˧ ʔiəŋ˧˧]

[tʰan˧˧ ʔiəŋ˧˧]

Citrus hystrix
Citrus hystrix#Translingual


ong bầu

[ʔawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓəw˨˩]

[ʔawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓəw˦˩]

[ʔɔŋ˧˧ ʔɓəw˦˩]

[ʔawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓəw˨˩]

From ong (“bee”) + bầu, from Proto-Vietic *buː (cf. Old Chinese 蜉 (OC *[b](r)u) (B-S)).


rươi

Compare Phong-Kniang raːj ("muck worm"), Khmu [Cuang] hmbraːj ("worm"), Bahnar hrai (“maggot”), Sedang hrế (“maggot”).


bông cải xanh

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧ kaːj˧˩ sajŋ̟˧˧]

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧ kaːj˧˨ sɛɲ˧˧]

[ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧ kaːj˨˩˦ san˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-bông cải xanh.wav

bông (“classifier for flowers”) + cải (“cruciferous vegetable”) + xanh (“grue”).


chọi

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-chọi.wav

gà chọi

chọi gà

chọi dế

chọi cá

chọi trâu


cậy

Diospyros lotus
Diospyros lotus#Translingual


cầy

From Proto-Mon-Khmer *cgəj. Cognate with Khmer ឆ្កែ (chkae, “dog”), Bahnar sơke (“wild boar”) and Ngeq cakɛː ("dog").
Khasi skei (“Indian muntjac, barking deer”) might be a loanword from a Sino-Tibetan language, cf. Burmese ချေ (hkye, “barking deer”), S'gaw Karen တခံ (takhee, “deer”), Jingpho chäkhji (“barking deer”), and is not directly related to the other Austroasiatic items.

cog

giả cầy


mốc

[məwk͡p̚˦˧˥]


sưa

timber trees of the genus Dalbergia (D. tonkinensis and D. boniana)


bóng nước

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦ nɨək̚˧˦]

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˧˥ nɨək̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓɔŋ˦˧˥ nɨək̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥ nɨək̚˦˥]

Impatiens balsamina
Impatiens balsamina#Translingual


kí sinh trùng

[ki˧˦ sïŋ˧˧ t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[kɪj˨˩˦ ʂɨn˧˧ ʈʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[kɪj˨˩˦ sɨn˧˧ ʈʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[kɪj˦˥ ʂɨn˧˧ ʈʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[kɪj˦˥ sɨn˧˧ ʈʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 寄生蟲, composed of 寄生 (“to leech”) and 蟲 (“animal”).


cọ

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-cọ.wav

1970, Hoàng Minh Chính (lyrics) & Bùi Đình Thảo (music), Đi Học (Going to School); 1971 performance by Minh Hà
Hương rừng thơm đồi vắng,
Nước suối trong thầm thì,
Cọ xoè ô che nắng,
Râm mát đường em đi.
The forest's fragrance scents the empty hills,
The brooks' clear waters murmur;
The palms’ fronds block sunlight,


bòn bon

[ʔɓɔn˨˩ ʔɓɔn˧˧]

[ʔɓɔŋ˦˩ ʔɓɔŋ˧˧]

[ʔɓɔŋ˨˩ ʔɓɔŋ˧˧]

According to a folk etymology recorded by Bùi Minh Đức in his work Từ điển tiếng Huế (2001), the fruit name was adapted from French bon (“good; tasty”):
2001, Bùi Minh Đức, Từ điển tiếng Huế [Dictionary of Hue lects], page 33:
Tương truyền vua Gia Long đi lánh nạn gặp lúc đói, phải ăn trái cây này trong rừng. Vua ăn thử thấy ngon, chuyền cho người Pháp tùy tùng vài trái. Ăn thấy ngon, người Pháp thốt lên "bon, bon" tức "ngon" và từ đó về sau, người dân gọi là trái "bòn bon", mặc dầu vua đã đặt tên là "trái Nam Trân".
It was said that, one-time while fleeing [from the Tây Sơn troops], Emperor Gia Long was so starving that he had no other choices but to eat this fruit in the forest. Finding its taste pleasing, he gave his French entourage some to try. After tasting them, the French remarked "bon, bon" [good, good], hence the name "bòn bon" used by the locals, even though the Emperor had decided to name the fruit "Nam Trân".

quote-book

Từ điển tiếng Huế

It was said that, one-time while fleeing 􂀿from the Tây Sơn troops􂁀, Emperor Gia Long was so starving that he had no other choices but to eat this fruit in the forest. Finding its taste pleasing, he gave his French entourage some to try. After tasting them, the French remarked "bon, bon" 􂀿good, good􂁀, hence the name "bòn bon" used by the locals, even though the Emperor had decided to name the fruit "Nam Trân".

Lansium domesticum
Lansium domesticum#Translingual

(Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam) langsat (Lansium domesticum)


báng

From Proto-Vietic *k-paːŋʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kpa[a]ŋ. Cognates within Vietic include Thavung kəpaːŋ³, Hung kpaːŋ, and Tho [Cuối Chăm & Làng Lỡ] paːŋ³.

Arenga pinnata
Arenga pinnata#Translingual


trùng

Sino-Vietnamese word from 蟲 (“animal”), from Literary Chinese 蟲 (drjuwng). In early Chinese, applied to all animals (see 五蟲 /五虫 (“five animal groups”), namely 裸蟲 /裸虫 (luǒchóng, “humans, amphibians and worms”, literally “bare animals”), 毛蟲 /毛虫 (máochóng, “mammals”, literally “furry animals”), 羽蟲 /羽虫 (“birds”, literally “feathered animals”), 鱗蟲 /鳞虫 (“fish and reptiles”, literally “scaly animals”) and 甲蟲 /甲虫 (jiǎchóng, “insects”, literally “armored animals”)), but later confined to very small ones, particularly worms, insects and microorganisms (such as the modern meaning of 毛蟲 /毛虫 (máochóng, “caterpillar”, literally “furry bug”) and 甲蟲 /甲虫 (jiǎchóng, “beetle”, literally “armored bug”)).

[t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˨˩]


thầu dầu

[tʰəw˨˩ zəw˨˩]

[tʰəw˦˩ jəw˦˩]

[tʰəw˨˩ jəw˨˩]

Compare Tho [Cuối Chăm] tʌw² tʌw².
The second syllable is likely the same as dầu (“oil, Dipterocarpus spp.”). The first syllable might be the aspirated variant of the same morpheme.

Ricinus communis
Ricinus communis#Translingual

castor oil plant; castor bean (Ricinus communis)


chưa biết mèo nào cắn mỉu nào

[t͡ɕɨə˧˧ ʔɓiət̚˧˦ mɛw˨˩ naːw˨˩ kan˧˦ miw˧˩ naːw˨˩]

[t͡ɕɨə˧˧ ʔɓiək̚˦˧˥ mɛw˦˩ naːw˦˩ kaŋ˦˧˥ miw˧˨ naːw˦˩]

[cɨə˧˧ ʔɓiək̚˦˥ mɛw˨˩ naːw˨˩ kaŋ˦˥ miw˨˩˦ naːw˨˩]

(figurative) we'll see about that; just you wait


lệch

nhệch

nasalization of the lateral, no vowel raising


vờ

vi-noun

(classifier con) vờ • (蟡) (phonemic reduplicative vờ vờ)

con (classifier)
蟡 (CJK)
vờ vờ (reduplication)


vừng

(classifier cây, hạt, hột) vừng • (𣜸, 𥣐, 𦾥, 𧁸)

cây (classifier)
hạt (classifier)
hột (classifier)
𣜸 (CJK)
𥣐 (CJK)
𦾥 (CJK)
𧁸 (CJK)

From Proto-Vietic *vɨŋ (“sesame”). Compare Proto-Katuic *lawɨŋ and Proto-Be *vəŋᴬ².

Vừng ơi, mở ra!


gầm ghì

[ɣəm˨˩ ɣi˨˩]

[ɣəm˦˩ ɣɪj˦˩]

[ɣəm˨˩ ɣɪj˨˩]


le le

Reduplication of le. Compare chuồn chuồn, châu chấu, etc.

Ở Cà Mau, An Giang và một số tỉnh miền Tây Nam Bộ, nhiều người dân nuôi chim le le thu lợi nhuận khá cao. Le le vốn là giống chim trời hoang dã, sống trong môi trường tự nhiên, nhưng kể từ khi được con người chăn nuôi thì số lượng của chúng phát triển vượt bậc.

2019, “Nuôi chim le le (Raising Lesser Whistling Ducks)”, Đại Đoàn Kết (Great Unity)

In Cà Mau, An Giang, and a few South-western provinces, many people profit rather handsomely from raising lesser whistling ducks. The lesser whistling ducks are wild birds living in the natural environment; yet ever since being raised and bred by humans, their number increases significantly.

lesser whistling duck
lesser whistling duck

Dendrocygna javanica
Dendrocygna javanica#Translingual

lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica)


ruốc

(classifier con (“Acetes shrimps, octopus dollfusi”)) ruốc • (𩽖)

Perhaps from Proto-Mon-Khmer *prhuək, derived from *phɔɔk ~ *pʔɔɔk (“fish-paste”); compare Khmer ប្រហុក (prɑɑhok, “fish-paste”), ផ្អក (phʼɑɑk, “fish-paste”), Mon ဖြံက် (hərɔk, “fish-paste”).


hến

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 蜆 (“Corbiculidae”, SV: hiện).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">hiện</i>

vi-etym-sino

hến xào


vi-rút

[vi˧˧ ɹut̚˧˦]

[vɪj˧˧ ɹʊk̚˦˧˥]

[vɪj˧˧ ɹʊk͡p̚˦˥]

[jɪj˧˧ ɹʊk͡p̚˦˥]


cầm thú

[kəm˨˩ tʰu˧˦]

[kəm˦˩ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

[kəm˨˩ tʰʊw˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 禽獸, composed of 禽 (“bird”) and 獸 (“beast”)


chim muông

[t͡ɕim˧˧ muəŋ˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ muəŋ˧˧]

From chim (“bird”) + muông (“quadruped”, fossil word).


muông thú

[muəŋ˧˧ tʰu˧˦]

[muəŋ˧˧ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

[muəŋ˧˧ tʰʊw˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-muông thú.wav

From muông (“beast”, fossil word) + thú (“beast”). The use of synonymous elements conveys genericity or plurality. Compare xe cộ, rừng rú.


niễng

Manchurian wild rice
Manchurian wild rice

Zizania latifolia
Zizania latifolia#Translingual

Manchurian wild rice (Zizania latifolia)


phật thủ

cây (classifier)
quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)

[fət̚˧˨ʔ tʰu˧˩]

[fək̚˨˩ʔ tʰʊw˧˨]

[fək̚˨˩˨ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 佛手, composed of 佛 (“Buddha”) and 手 (“hand”).


luồng

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">lung, lộng</i>

vi-etym-sino

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 籠 (“bamboo-made object”, SV: lung, lộng)

kind of bamboo commonly found in Thanh Hóa (Dendrocalamus membranaceus)


diếp cá

[ziəp̚˧˦ kaː˧˦]

[jiəp̚˦˧˥ kaː˨˩˦]

Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata#Translingual


diếp

Sino-Vietnamese word from 葉. Doublet of diệp.


hướng dương

cây (classifier)
bông (classifier)
hoa (classifier)

[hɨəŋ˧˦ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[hɨəŋ˦˧˥ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[hɨəŋ˦˥ jɨəŋ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 向陽 (“to orient toward the sun”). Compare Chinese 向日葵 (hướng nhật quỳ, literally “sun-oriented flower”).


su hào

[ʂʊw˧˧ haːw˦˩]

[ʂʊw˧˧ haːw˨˩]


cá lóc

[kaː˨˩˦ lawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

cá lóc nướng trui


cá chuối

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕuəj˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕuj˨˩˦]

From cá (“fish”) + chuối (“banana”), literally “banana fish”, so called because of the shape.


cá tràu

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕaw˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʈaw˦˩]


nhặng

Possibly non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 蠅 (“fly”, SV: dăng). If true, then:
* It is a doublet of Vietnamese lằng (“common green bottle fly”).
* Its nặng-tone (instead of expected huyền) has resulted from either an irregular sound change (see vẹn), or borrowing from a regional Chinese dialect (see tạnh), or indirect borrowing (see tiếng).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">dăng</i>


lợn đất

[ləːn˧˨ʔ ʔɗət̚˧˦]

[ləːŋ˨˩ʔ ʔɗək̚˦˧˥]

[ləːŋ˨˩˨ ʔɗək̚˦˥]

lợn (“pig”) + đất (“earth”), also a calque of Afrikaans aardvark

(Northern Vietnam) a porcelain piggy bank


gấu ngựa

[ɣəw˧˦ ŋɨə˧˨ʔ]

[ɣəw˨˩˦ ŋɨə˨˩ʔ]

[ɣəw˦˥ ŋɨə˨˩˨]

Ursus thibetanus
Ursus thibetanus#Translingual


ốc sên

[ʔəwk͡p̚˧˦ sen˧˧]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˧˥ ʂen˧˧]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˧˥ sen˧˧]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˥ ʂəːn˧˧]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˥ səːn˧˧]


sán

(zoology) a parasitic flatworm (of the phylum Platyhelminthes)


sán

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 趁 (“to accompany”, SV: sấn).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">sấn</i>


gà đồng

[ɣaː˨˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩]

[ɣaː˦˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩]

[ɣaː˨˩ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩]

gà (“chicken”) + đồng (“field”). Compare Chinese 田雞 /田鸡 (tiánjī) and English mountain chicken.

Gallicrex cinerea
Gallicrex cinerea#Translingual


chuột đồng

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩]

chuột (“rat; mouse”) + đồng (“field; paddy”).


bồ kết

[ʔɓo˨˩ ket̚˧˦]

[ʔɓow˦˩ ket̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓow˨˩ kəːt̚˦˥]


trẩu

Quả tóc của mày trông trẩu vãi lìn.

That hair of yours is fucking ridiculous.

(neologism, slang) showy but ridiculous; Contraction of trẻ trâu.


tứ chi

[tɨ˧˦ t͡ɕi˧˧]

[tɨ˨˩˦ t͡ɕɪj˧˧]

[tɨ˦˥ cɪj˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-tứ chi.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 四肢, composed of 四 (“four”) and 肢 (“limb”)

vi-etym-sino

the four limbs, generally of non-fish and non-bird vertebrates


vò

head

vò • (扜, 趶, 紆)

vi-verb

vò • (扜, 趶, 紆)


khủng long bạo chúa

[xʊwŋ͡m˧˩ lawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓaːw˧˨ʔ t͡ɕuə˧˦]

[kʰʊwŋ͡m˧˨ lawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓaːw˨˩ʔ t͡ɕuə˨˩˦]

[xʊwŋ͡m˧˨ lɔŋ˧˧ ʔɓaːw˨˩ʔ t͡ɕuə˨˩˦]

[kʰʊwŋ͡m˨˩˦ lawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓaːw˨˩˨ cuə˦˥]

[xʊwŋ͡m˨˩˦ lawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓaːw˨˩˨ cuə˦˥]

khủng long (“dinosaur”) + bạo chúa (“tyrant”), calque of New Latin Tyrannosaurus or Tyrannosaurus rex.


xấu hổ

Mimosa pudica
Mimosa pudica#Translingual


ý dĩ

[ʔi˧˦ zi˦ˀ˥]

[ʔɪj˨˩˦ jɪj˧˨]

[ʔɪj˦˥ jɪj˨˩˦]

Coix lacryma-jobi
Coix lacryma-jobi#Translingual


hươu sao

[hɨəw˧˧ ʂaːw˧˧]

[hɨəw˧˧ saːw˧˧]

[hɨəw˧˧ ʂaːw˧˧]

[hɨəw˧˧ saːw˧˧]

hươu (“deer”) + sao (“star”), in reference to its spots.


tráng miệng

[t͡ɕaːŋ˧˦ miəŋ˧˨ʔ]

[ʈaːŋ˦˧˥ miəŋ˨˩ʔ]

[ʈaːŋ˦˥ miəŋ˨˩˨]

From tráng (“to rinse”) + miệng (“mouth”), in the sense of "cleansing your palate of savor with juicy fruit or sweet dessert".

ăn nho tráng miệng

món/đồ tráng miệng

fruit or dessert for after the main meal

Có gì tráng miệng không ?
Có chuối.
Got some after-meal food?
I got bananas.

Bạch đậu khấu thường được sử dụng làm nguyên liệu nấu ăn hoặc làm món tráng miệng nhờ hương vị tuyệt vời.

2018 January 17, “Trà bạch đậu khấu thơm ngon với những lợi ích 'vàng' cho sức khỏe”, in Tiền Phong Online:

Cardamom is often used as an ingredient in cooking (main meals) or desserts owing to its excellent flavour.

to have some fruit or dessert after the main meal


lốt

bò nướng lá lốt

2013, Xuân Sơn, “Một số bài thuốc chữa bệnh bằng lá lốt (a few therapeutic formulas from piper lolot leaves)”, Đắk Lắk Newspaper
Theo các thầy thuốc, lá và thân cây lốt chứa các chất ancaloit, flavonoid và tinh dầu, với thành phần chủ yếu là beta-caryophylen; rễ cũng có chứa tinh dầu nhưng thành phần chính là benzylaxetat.
According to physicians, the piper lolot plant's leaves and stem contain alkaloids, flavonoids, and an essential oil whose main component is β-caryophyllene; its roots also contain an essential oil whose main component is benzyl acetate.

(rare) Piper sarmentosum (syn. Piper lolot)


hoa quả

[waː˧˧ waː˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 花果, composed of 花 (“flower”) and 果 (“fruit”).


cà pháo

[kaː˦˩ faːw˨˩˦]


bách thú

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˦ tʰu˧˦]

[ʔɓat̚˦˧˥ tʰʊw˨˩˦]

[ʔɓat̚˦˥ tʰʊw˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-bách thú.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 百獸, composed of 百 (“hundred”) and 獸 (“beast”), from Chinese 百獸 /百兽 (bǎishòu).

(rare, collective) Synonym of muông thú (“animals”)


tôm tít

From tôm (“shrimp, pawn”) + tít (“centipede”). Equivalent to tôm + rết in Northern Vietnam, and tôm + rít in Southern Vietnam.
As tít is a North Central form, the phrase "tôm tít" certainly originated from that region, then spread to other Central and Southern dialects.

com

(Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam) mantis shrimp


bề bề

[ʔɓe˨˩ ʔɓe˨˩]

[ʔɓej˦˩ ʔɓej˦˩]

[ʔɓej˨˩ ʔɓej˨˩]

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 皮皮 (SV: bì bì), as in 皮皮蝦 (bì bì hà, “mantis shrimp”).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">bì bì</i>


mòng

vi-noun

(classifier con) mòng • (𲀎, 蒙, 蠓) (phonemic reduplicative mòng mòng)

con (classifier)
𲀎 (CJK)
蒙 (CJK)
蠓 (CJK)
mòng mòng (reduplication)

From Old Chinese 蠓 (OC *moːŋ) (Zhengzhang) (SV: mông).


mòng

From Old Chinese 鸏 (OC *moːŋ) (Zhengzhang) (SV: mông), which originally meant gull, now means tropicbird.


đam

From Proto-Vietic *k-taːm, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kt₁aam (“crab”); cognate with Temiar gantam, Bahnar kơtam, Pacoh atam, Khasi tham, Khmer ក្ដាម (kdaam), Mon ဂတာံ (hətam) and Car Nicobarese ka-tām. Malay ketam is probably a Mon-Khmer loan.

(North Central Vietnam) field crab; freshwater crab


rít

to smoke (through a pipe, most notably a điếu cày)


rít

Southern Vietnam form of rết (“centipede”)


kì đà

[ki˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩]

[kɪj˦˩ ʔɗaː˦˩]

[kɪj˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩]

From Proto-Vietic *daː. Cognate with Arem kadɑː. See also cự đà.
Discounting reduplicatives and prefixal words (like cà giựt and bồ nông), this is one of the true disyllabic words in Vietnamese, see thằn lằn, mồ hôi, kì nhông, bồ hóng for some more examples.

Không phải cá sấu, mà cũng không phải là kỳ đà. Kỳ đà thì mõm nhọn chứ!

1957, Đoàn Giỏi, chapter 18, in Đất rừng phương Nam, Kim Đồng:

It isn't a crocodile, but it isn't a monitor either. Monitors have a sharp snout!


gà trống nuôi con

[ɣaː˨˩ t͡ɕəwŋ͡m˧˦ nuəj˧˧ kɔn˧˧]

[ɣaː˦˩ ʈəwŋ͡m˦˧˥ nuj˧˧ kɔŋ˧˧]

[ɣaː˨˩ ʈəwŋ͡m˦˥ nuj˧˧ kɔŋ˧˧]

(literal) a rooster/cock who raises his own chicks


cói

chiếu cói

certain species in the family Cyperaceae, chiefly within the genus Cyperus


giời leo

[zəːj˨˩ lɛw˧˧]

[jəːj˦˩ lɛw˧˧]

[jəːj˨˩ lɛw˧˧]

com

giời (“kind of centipede”) + leo (“to climb”)


dâu tây

[zəw˧˧ təj˧˧]

[jəw˧˧ təj˧˧]

[jəw˧˧ təj˧˧]


mòng biển

[mawŋ͡m˨˩ ʔɓiən˧˩]

[mawŋ͡m˦˩ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[mɔŋ˦˩ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[mawŋ͡m˨˩ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]


muống

From Proto-Vietic *ɓɔːŋʔ (“water spinach (Ipomoea)”); cognate with Muong bỏng. Compare also Thai บุ้ง (bûng).

inh

Short for rau muống (“water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)”).


bét

From Proto-Vietic *k-pɛːt. Compare Proto-Katuic *kpiat (whence Pacoh capeat).


cá hẻn

[kaː˧˦ hɛn˧˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ hɛŋ˧˨]

[kaː˦˥ hɛŋ˨˩˦]

airbreathing catfish
airbreathing catfish

(North Central Vietnam) airbreathing catfish


cá ngát

[kaː˧˦ ŋaːt̚˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ŋaːk̚˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ ŋaːk̚˦˥]


cá chạch

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕajk̟̚˧˨ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕat̚˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ cat̚˨˩˨]


ve sầu

[vɛ˧˧ səw˨˩]

[vɛ˧˧ ʂəw˦˩]

[vɛ˧˧ səw˦˩]

[vɛ˧˧ ʂəw˨˩]

[jɛ˧˧ səw˨˩]

Những câu hô như vậy chen lẫn những tiếng bồm bộp của những quả ban bị đánh đi, như giữ nhịp cho khúc âm nhạc của mấy vạn con ve sầu.

1936, Vũ Trọng Phụng, chapter 1, in Số đỏ, Hà Nội báo:

Cries such as these ones alternated with the plop plop sounds of the balls that were being hit, as if keeping the beat for the song of the myriads of cicadas.


thùa

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 繡 (SV: tú).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">tú</i>


Dương Cưu

[zɨəŋ˧˧ kiw˧˧]

[jɨəŋ˧˧ kɨw˧˧]

[jɨəŋ˧˧ kɨw˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Dương Cưu.wav

(astrology, astronomy) Synonym of Bạch Dương (“Aries”)


nụ

Garcinia gummi-gutta
Garcinia gummi-gutta#Translingual

Garcinia cambogia
Garcinia cambogia#Translingual

Any of species Garcinia gummi-gutta (syn. Garcinia cambogia)


chúa sơn lâm

[t͡ɕuə˧˦ səːn˧˧ ləm˧˧]

[t͡ɕuə˨˩˦ ʂəːŋ˧˧ ləm˧˧]

[t͡ɕuə˨˩˦ səːŋ˧˧ ləm˧˧]

[cuə˦˥ ʂəːŋ˧˧ ləm˧˧]

[cuə˦˥ səːŋ˧˧ ləm˧˧]

chúa (“lord”) + sơn lâm (“the wilderness”).

com

king of the jungle (the title for the tiger)


ổ gà

[ʔo˧˩ ɣaː˨˩]

[ʔow˧˨ ɣaː˦˩]

[ʔow˨˩˦ ɣaː˨˩]

(figurative) a small or medium-sized pothole


long não

[lɔŋ˧˧ naːw˧˨]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 龍腦, composed of 龍 (“dragon”) and 腦 (“brain”).

vi-etym-sino

(cây~) camphor tree (Camphora officinarum)


nải

From Proto-Vietic *c-naːs < *c-rn-aːs (an infixed form of *caːs (“to comb”), whence chải).
For the semantic relationship, compare Khmer សិត (sət, “to comb”) and ស្និត (snət, “classifier for hands of bananas”).


cá nóc

[kaː˨˩˦ nawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

(by extension) the Tetraodontiformes order


cá lòng tong

[kaː˨˩˦ lawŋ͡m˦˩ tawŋ͡m˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ lɔŋ˦˩ tɔŋ˧˧]

certain small fishes in Cyprinidae, particularly those in the genus Luciosoma


dộc

→ French: douc, Douc

→ English: douc

[zəwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ]

[jəwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ]

[jəwk͡p̚˨˩˨]

From Proto-Vietic *k-joːk, probably of Sino-Tibetan origin. Cognate with Thavung kəjoːk⁷. Compare Proto-Karen *joɁᴰ and Burmese မျောက် (myauk).
Although not certain, the problematic presyllable *k- in Vietic might be due to analogy to other terms for monkey such as *k-mah and *k-vaɲ.


đa đa

[ʔɗaː˧˧ ʔɗaː˧˧]

[ʔɗaː˧˧ ʔɗaː˧˧]

[ʔɗaː˧˧ ʔɗaː˧˧]

A variant, da da, which was also a pun on the Chinese word 家 (gia, “home”) in contrast with cuốc cuốc and the Chinese word 國 /国 (quốc, “country”, as in 國家 /国家 (quốc gia, “country; nation”)), existed in Bà Huyện Thanh Quan's poem titled Qua đèo Ngang (“Crossing the Ngang Pass”).

♂: Có con chim đa đa nó đậu cành đa.
Sao không lấy chồng gần mà đi lấy chồng xa ?
Có con chim đa đa hót lời nỉ non.
Sao em nỡ lấy chồng từ khi tuổi còn son ?
Để con chim đa đa ngậm ngùi đành bay xa.

(Can we date this quote?), Võ Đông Điền (lyrics and music), “Tiếng hát chim đa đa [The Francolin's Song]”:

♂: There's that francolin perching on a banyan branch.
Why didn't you marry someone here, but someone so far away?
There's that francolin crying his desperate song.
How could you get married at such a tender age?
Now that the francolin has no choice but fly away.

Francolinus pintadeanus
Francolinus pintadeanus#Translingual

a Chinese francolin (Francolinus pintadeanus)


cua đinh

[kuə˧˧ ʔɗïŋ˧˧]

[kuə˧˧ ʔɗɨn˧˧]

[kuə˧˧ ʔɗɨn˧˧]

cua (“crab”) + đinh (Sino-Vietnamese word from 汀 (“riverbank”)). Semantically, compare giải (“large softshell turtle”), also derived from the sense "crab".

com

Sino-Vietnamese word from <i class="Hani mention" lang="vi">汀</i> (“riverbank”)


trùng trục

[t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˨˩ t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʈʊwŋ͡m˦˩ ʈʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʈʊwŋ͡m˨˩ ʈʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨]


tuần lộc

[twən˨˩ ləwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ]

[twəŋ˦˩ ləwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ]

[t⁽ʷ⁾əŋ˨˩ ləwk͡p̚˨˩˨]


hải li

[haːj˨˩˦ lɪj˧˧]


lông vũ

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vu˦ˀ˥]

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vʊw˧˨]

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vʊw˨˩˦]

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ jʊw˨˩˦]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-lông vũ.wav


sến

kind of fine timber native to Vietnam (Madhuca pasquieri)


Miên Dương

[miən˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[miəŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[miəŋ˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-Miên Dương.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 綿羊, composed of 綿 (“wool”) and 羊 (“caprid”), from Chinese 綿羊 /绵羊 (miányáng, “sheep”). Compare Sơn Dương (“Capricorn”, literally “goat”).


ếch giun

[ʔəjk̟̚˧˦ zun˧˧]

[ʔet̚˦˧˥ jun˧˧]

[ʔəːt̚˦˥ jʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

a Ceylon caecilian (Ichthyophis glutinosus)


đẻn

head

đẻn • (𧌎, 󰚄)


gõ kiến

[ɣɔ˦ˀ˥ kiən˧˦]

[ɣɔ˧˨ kiəŋ˦˧˥]

[ɣɔ˨˩˦ kiəŋ˦˥]

From gõ (“to knock on”) + kiến (“ant”). The verb for peck as in English woodpecker is mổ, rather than gõ.


bòng bòng

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˨˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˨˩]

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˩]

[ʔɓɔŋ˦˩ ʔɓɔŋ˦˩]

[ʔɓawŋ͡m˨˩ ʔɓawŋ͡m˨˩]


chủng

[t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˧˩]

[t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˧˨]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 種. Doublet of giống.

Clipping of chủng tộc (“race”). (a large group of people set apart from others on the basis of common, physical characteristics)


dành dành

vi-noun

(classifier cây, bông, hoa) dành dành • (𦱊𦱊)

cây (classifier)
bông (classifier)
hoa (classifier)
𦱊𦱊 (CJK)

[zajŋ̟˨˩ zajŋ̟˨˩]

[jɛɲ˦˩ jɛɲ˦˩]

Gardenia jasminoides
Gardenia jasminoides#Translingual


bánh giầy

[ʔɓajŋ̟˧˦ zəj˨˩]

[ʔɓɛɲ˦˧˥ jəj˦˩]

[ʔɓan˦˥ jəj˨˩]

A white, flat, round cake in traditional Vietnamese cuisine, made of glutinous rice and wrapped in banana leaves.


xa pô chê

[saː˧˧ po˧˧ t͡ɕe˧˧]

Manilkara zapota
Manilkara zapota#Translingual

(Southern Vietnam) sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)


ngựa trời

[ŋɨə˧˨ʔ t͡ɕəːj˨˩]

[ŋɨə˨˩ʔ ʈəːj˦˩]

[ŋɨə˨˩˨ ʈəːj˨˩]


chim ong

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ʔawŋ͡m˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ʔawŋ͡m˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ʔɔŋ˧˧]

From chim (“bird”) + ong (“bee”). Compare Chinese 蜂鳥 /蜂鸟 (fēngniǎo, literally “bee bird”), Japanese 蜂鳥 (hachidori, literally “bee bird”), Korean 벌새 (beolsae, literally “bee bird”).


tu hú

[tʊw˧˧ hʊw˨˩˦]

[tʊw˧˧ hʊw˦˥]

1967, Hoàng Vân (lyrics & music), "Mùa Hoa Phượng Nở (Season of Blooming Flamboyants)"; 1986 performance by Diệu Linh & Tuyết Mai
Tu hú kêu, tu hú kêu, hoa gạo nở, hoa phượng đỏ, đầy ước mơ hy vọng.

The koel is singing, the koels are singing; the silk cotton flowers are blooming red, the flamboyants are blooming red, full of hopes and dreams.

Eudynamys scolopaceus
Eudynamys scolopaceus#Translingual

koel (genus Eudynamys), especially the Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)


tre pheo

[t͡ɕɛ˧˧ fɛw˧˧]

[ʈɛ˧˧ fɛw˧˧]

[ʈɛ˧˧ fɛw˧˧]

tre (“bamboo”) + pheo. The second element is a fossil word inherited from Proto-Vietic *p-hɛːw (“bamboo”), cognate with Muong pheo and Nguôn pheo.

Thị trấn trải dài theo đường đá, có những phố ngang rồi đến những ngõ phố còn tre pheo, rặng rào cúc tần, [...]

2003, Nguyễn Kiên, Tác phẩm chọn lọc [Selected works], Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Hội nhà văn, page 468:

The town stretches along the stone-paved road, there are cross-streets and then alleyways with bamboos, pluchea-covered fences, that are still preserved, …


trích

Porphyrio porphyrio
Porphyrio porphyrio#Translingual


cánh cam

[kɛɲ˦˧˥ kaːm˧˧]

(dialectal, Southern Vietnam) Anomala esmeralda


Guốc chẵn

[ɣuək̚˧˦ t͡ɕan˦ˀ˥]

[ɣuək̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕaŋ˧˨]

[ɣuək̚˦˥ caŋ˨˩˦]

bộ Guốc chẵn


Guốc lẻ

[ɣuək̚˧˦ lɛ˧˩]

[ɣuək̚˦˧˥ lɛ˧˨]

[ɣuək̚˦˥ lɛ˨˩˦]

bộ Guốc lẻ


rắn cạp nong

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ nawŋ͡m˧˧]

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ nɔŋ˧˧]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ kaːp̚˨˩˨ nawŋ͡m˧˧]


rắn cạp nia

[zan˧˦ kaːp̚˧˨ʔ niə˧˧]

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ niə˧˧]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ kaːp̚˨˩˨ niə˧˧]


rắn lục

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ lʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ lʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨]


chuột cống

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ kəwŋ͡m˧˦]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ kəwŋ͡m˦˧˥]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ kəwŋ͡m˦˥]


Gặm nhấm

[ɣam˧˨ʔ ɲəm˧˦]

[ɣam˨˩ʔ ɲəm˦˧˥]

[ɣam˨˩˨ ɲəm˦˥]


chanh leo

[t͡ɕajŋ̟˧˧ lɛw˧˧]

[t͡ɕɛɲ˧˧ lɛw˧˧]


chanh dây

[t͡ɕajŋ̟˧˧ zəj˧˧]

[t͡ɕɛɲ˧˧ jəj˧˧]


Thỏ Ngọc

[tʰɔ˧˩ ŋawk͡p̚˧˨ʔ]

[tʰɔ˧˨ ŋawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ]

[tʰɔ˨˩˦ ŋawk͡p̚˨˩˨]

thỏ (“rabbit”) + ngọc (“jade”), calque of Chinese 玉兔 (Ngọc Thố).

the Jade Hare, Chang'e's companion on the Moon


dưa lê

[zɨə˧˧ le˧˧]

[jɨə˧˧ lej˧˧]

[jɨə˧˧ lej˧˧]


mòng két

[mawŋ͡m˨˩ kɛt̚˧˦]

[mawŋ͡m˦˩ kɛt̚˦˧˥]

[mɔŋ˦˩ kɛt̚˦˧˥]

[mawŋ͡m˨˩ kɛk̚˦˥]


lá ngón

[laː˧˦ ŋɔn˧˦]

[laː˨˩˦ ŋɔŋ˦˧˥]

[laː˦˥ ŋɔŋ˦˥]


cá rô phi

zh-l

羅非魚／罗非鱼 (luófēiyú)

→ Chinese: 羅非魚／罗非鱼 (luófēiyú)

[kaː˨˩˦ ʐow˧˧ fɪj˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ɹow˧˧ fɪj˧˧]

cá rô + Phi. Literally "African climbing perch".


rắn cạp nia biển

[zan˧˦ kaːp̚˧˨ʔ niə˧˧ ʔɓiən˧˩]

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ kaːp̚˨˩ʔ niə˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ kaːp̚˨˩˨ niə˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]

rắn cạp nia (“Malayan krait”) + biển (“sea”)


nắp ấm

vi-noun

(classifier cái, cây (“the plant”)) nắp ấm

[nap̚˧˦ ʔəm˧˦]

[nap̚˦˧˥ ʔəm˦˧˥]

[nap̚˦˥ ʔəm˦˥]


sao biển

[saːw˧˧ ʔɓiən˧˩]

[ʂaːw˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[saːw˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˧˨]

[ʂaːw˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]

[saːw˧˧ ʔɓiəŋ˨˩˦]

From sao (“star”) + biển (“sea”). Compare Chinese 海星 (hải tinh).


nhền nhện

[ɲen˨˩ ɲen˧˨ʔ]

[ɲen˦˩ ɲen˨˩ʔ]

[ɲəːn˨˩ ɲəːn˨˩˨]


tầm gửi

[təm˨˩ ɣɨj˧˩]

[təm˦˩ ɣɨj˧˨]

[təm˨˩ ɣɨj˨˩˦]

tầm (尋) (“to seek”) + gửi (“to entrust”).


linh miêu

[lïŋ˧˧ miəw˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 靈貓 (“civet”), with the 貓 /猫 reinterpreted to literally mean "cat", rather than any cat-like animal such as the civet. Compare linh cẩu, Linh trưởng.


linh cẩu

[lïŋ˧˧ kəw˧˩]

[lɨn˧˧ kəw˧˨]

[lɨn˧˧ kəw˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 靈 and 狗 (“dog”). Compare linh miêu, Linh trưởng.


linh dương

[lïŋ˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[lɨn˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[lɨn˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]


Linh trưởng

[lïŋ˧˧ t͡ɕɨəŋ˧˩]

[lɨn˧˧ ʈɨəŋ˧˨]

[lɨn˧˧ ʈɨəŋ˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 靈長 (“superior being; human”). Compare Vietnamese linh miêu, linh cẩu.

bộ Linh trưởng


cá giếc

[kaː˧˦ ziək̚˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ jiək̚˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ jiək̚˦˥]

From cá (“fish”) + giếc (“crucian carp”)


dây gắm

vi-noun

(classifier quả, trái, hoa, cây) dây gắm • (𦀊𥋴)

quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)
hoa (classifier)
cây (classifier)
𦀊𥋴 (CJK)

[zəj˧˧ ɣam˧˦]

[jəj˧˧ ɣam˦˧˥]

[jəj˧˧ ɣam˦˥]

vi:Chi Dây gắm
vi:Lớp Dây gắm
vi:dây gắm


chép

con (classifier)
鮿 (CJK)
𩺗 (CJK)
鯜 (CJK)


hồng mao

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ maːw˧˧]

[həwŋ͡m˦˩ maːw˧˧]

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ maːw˧˧]

voi chín ngà, gà chín cựa, ngựa chín hồng mao

an elephant with nine tusks, a rooster with nine spurs, a horse with nine groups of mane hair

(mythology) one of the nine groups of hair of the mane of the horse that Sơn Tinh offered the reigning Hùng king to propose to his princess


cá tầm

[kaː˧˦ təm˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ təm˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ təm˨˩]

From cá (“fish”) + tầm, the latter is Sino-Vietnamese word from 鱘.


mèo khen mèo dài đuôi

[mɛw˨˩ xɛn˧˧ mɛw˨˩ zaːj˨˩ ʔɗuəj˧˧]

[mɛw˦˩ kʰɛŋ˧˧ mɛw˦˩ jaːj˦˩ ʔɗuj˧˧]

[mɛw˦˩ xɛŋ˧˧ mɛw˦˩ jaːj˦˩ ʔɗuj˧˧]

[mɛw˨˩ kʰɛŋ˧˧ mɛw˨˩ jaːj˨˩ ʔɗuj˧˧]

[mɛw˨˩ xɛŋ˧˧ mɛw˨˩ jaːj˨˩ ʔɗuj˧˧]

(literal) cats who boast of their own long tails


Chó

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-chó.wav


cây cỏ

[kəj˧˧ kɔ˧˩]

[kəj˧˧ kɔ˧˨]

[kəj˧˧ kɔ˨˩˦]

Probably a calque of Chinese 草木 (cǎomù).

plant; herbaceous plant (generally speaking)


cá nhám

[kaː˧˦ ɲaːm˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ɲaːm˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ ɲaːm˦˥]

cá (“fish”) + nhám (“rough”), named so because of their crude skin.


cá tai tượng

[kaː˧˦ taːj˧˧ tɨəŋ˧˨ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ taːj˧˧ tɨəŋ˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ taːj˧˧ tɨəŋ˨˩˨]

cá (“fish”) + tai (“ear”) + tượng (“elephant”), literally “elephant ear fish”.

com

(zoology) giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy)


bẹ

head

bẹ • (備, 梐, 瓣, 𠹯)

vi-noun

(classifier cây (“corn, maize”)) bẹ • (備, 梐, 瓣, 𠹯)

cây (classifier)
備 (CJK)
梐 (CJK)
瓣 (CJK)
𠹯 (CJK)


lá lốt

→ English: lolot

[laː˨˩˦ lok̚˦˧˥]


lợn lòi

(classifier con) lợn lòi • (𤞼 + 耒/𤞖/𤢗/𤢿)

[ləːn˧˨ʔ lɔj˨˩]

[ləːŋ˨˩ʔ lɔj˦˩]

[ləːŋ˨˩˨ lɔj˨˩]

hog (esp. species with tusks like warthog)


ngọc nữ

[ŋawk͡p̚˧˨ʔ nɨ˦ˀ˥]

[ŋawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ nɨ˧˨]

[ŋawk͡p̚˨˩˨ nɨ˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 玉女, composed of 玉 (“gem”) and 女 (“female person”), from Literary Chinese 玉女 (yùnǚ, “beautiful girl”). Doublet of Ngọc Nữ.


cá điêu hồng

[kaː˧˦ ʔɗiəw˧˧ həwŋ͡m˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔɗiw˧˧ həwŋ͡m˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ ʔɗiw˧˧ həwŋ͡m˨˩]

(Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam) red tilapia


bạch đàn

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ ʔɗaːn˨˩]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ ʔɗaːŋ˦˩]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩˨ ʔɗaːŋ˨˩]

Santalum album
Santalum album#Translingual


kơ nia

[kəː˧˧ niə˧˧]

[kəː˧˧ niə˧˧]

[kəː˧˧ niə˧˧]


chín muồi

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-chín muồi.wav

chín (“ripe”) + muồi (“ripe; favorable”).

com

(literal) ripe (ready for reaping or gathering, of fruits and seeds)


xương dăm

[sɨəŋ˧˧ zam˧˧]

[sɨəŋ˧˧ jam˧˧]

[sɨəŋ˧˧ jam˧˧]

one of the smallest bones in a bony fish that are easy to get stuck in people's throats


ốc anh vũ

[ʔəwk͡p̚˧˦ ʔajŋ̟˧˧ vu˦ˀ˥]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˧˥ ʔɛɲ˧˧ vʊw˧˨]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˥ ʔan˧˧ vʊw˨˩˦]

[ʔəwk͡p̚˦˥ ʔan˧˧ jʊw˨˩˦]


duối

Ngoài bụi duối sau hè, trong tầm tã mưa rơi, có con chim cú cất tiếng kêu bi thảm.

2016, Trầm Hương, Trong cơn lốc xoáy, part I, NXB Phụ nữ, page 61:

Outside in the Streblus asper bush behind the veranda, beneath a rain of thick drops, an owl cried out tragically.


mèo tam thể

[mɛw˨˩ taːm˧˧ tʰe˧˩]

[mɛw˨˩ taːm˧˧ tʰej˨˩˦]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-mèo tam thể.wav

From mèo (“cat”) + tam thể (“three colours”), a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 三采 (SV: tam thải).

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">tam thải</i>


bọ que

[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ kwɛ˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩ʔ kwɛ˧˧]

[ʔɓɔ˨˩˨ wɛ˧˧]


phượng vĩ

cây (classifier)
hoa (classifier)
bông (classifier)

[fɨəŋ˧˨ʔ vi˦ˀ˥]

[fɨəŋ˨˩ʔ vɪj˧˨]

[fɨəŋ˨˩˨ vɪj˨˩˦]

[fɨəŋ˨˩˨ jɪj˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鳳 (“phoenix, fenghuang”) and 尾 (“tail”).


sò huyết

[sɔ˨˩ hwiət̚˧˦]

[ʂɔ˦˩ hwiək̚˦˧˥]

[sɔ˦˩ hwiək̚˦˧˥]

[ʂɔ˨˩ wiək̚˦˥]

[sɔ˨˩ wiək̚˦˥]

blood cockle; blood clam (Tegillarca granosa)


lòng trắng

[lawŋ͡m˨˩ t͡ɕaŋ˧˦]

[lawŋ͡m˦˩ ʈaŋ˦˧˥]

[lɔŋ˦˩ ʈaŋ˦˧˥]

[lawŋ͡m˨˩ ʈaŋ˦˥]


cá chiên

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕiən˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕiəŋ˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ciəŋ˧˧]

a devil catfish; dwarf goonch (of the species Bagarius bagarius)


cá chiên

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕiən˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ t͡ɕiəŋ˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ciəŋ˧˧]


cú mèo

[kʊw˨˩˦ mɛw˦˩]

[kʊw˦˥ mɛw˨˩]


cú vọ

[ku˧˦ vɔ˧˨ʔ]

[kʊw˨˩˦ vɔ˨˩ʔ]

[kʊw˦˥ vɔ˨˩˨]

[kʊw˦˥ jɔ˨˩˨]


dưa gang

[zɨə˧˧ ɣaːŋ˧˧]

[jɨə˧˧ ɣaːŋ˧˧]

[jɨə˧˧ ɣaːŋ˧˧]

kind of cucumber (Cucumis sativus var. conomon)


cá tra

→ English: tra

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕaː˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʈaː˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ʈaː˧˧]

cá (“fish”) + tra. The second element is apparently from Khmer ប្រា (praa, “Pangasius sp.”)

(Southern Vietnam) iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

generic name for any species in the family Pangasiidae


rau dớn

[ʐaw˧˧ jəːŋ˦˧˥]

[ɹa(ː)w˧˧ jəːŋ˦˥]


sấu

From Proto-Vietic *k-ruːʔ (“crocodile”). Cognate with Muong Bi khủ (“aquatic monster”).


sấu

vi-noun

(classifier cây, trái, quả) sấu • (㮴, 蓃)

cây (classifier)
trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)
㮴 (CJK)
蓃 (CJK)

Dracontomelon duperreanum, a species of flowering plants in the Anacardiaceae (cashew family).


ráy

cây (classifier)
củ (classifier)
𦵜 (CJK)
𫇶 (CJK)
𫈨 (CJK)

Alocasia macrorrhizos
Alocasia macrorrhizos#Translingual

other similar plants of the family Araceae


cá ông

head

cá ông • (𩵜翁)

[kaː˧˦ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧]


chó sói lửa

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ sɔj˧˦ lɨə˧˩]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ ʂɔj˨˩˦ lɨə˧˨]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ sɔj˨˩˦ lɨə˧˨]

[cɔ˦˥ ʂɔj˦˥ lɨə˨˩˦]

[cɔ˦˥ sɔj˦˥ lɨə˨˩˦]

From chó sói ("wolf") + lửa ("fire"), so "fire wolf", a reference to the reddish fur.


chó rừng

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ zɨŋ˨˩]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ ʐɨŋ˦˩]

[cɔ˦˥ ɹɨŋ˨˩]

Chó Rừng và Cọp

Chó Rừng Và Con Cò


sói đồng cỏ

[sɔj˧˦ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ kɔ˧˩]

[ʂɔj˨˩˦ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩ kɔ˧˨]

[sɔj˨˩˦ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩ kɔ˧˨]

[ʂɔj˦˥ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ kɔ˨˩˦]

[sɔj˦˥ ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ kɔ˨˩˦]

Canis latrans
Canis latrans#Translingual


chó rừng lông vàng

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ zɨŋ˨˩ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vaːŋ˨˩]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ ʐɨŋ˦˩ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vaːŋ˦˩]

[cɔ˦˥ ɹɨŋ˨˩ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ vaːŋ˨˩]

[cɔ˦˥ ɹɨŋ˨˩ ləwŋ͡m˧˧ jaːŋ˨˩]


động đực

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ ʔɗɨk̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ ʔɗɨk̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ ʔɗɨk̚˨˩˨]


nhuỵ

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 蕊 (“stamen; pistil”, SV: nhị). Doublet of nhị.

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">nhị</i>


nhị cái

[ɲi˧˨ʔ kaːj˧˦]

[ɲɪj˨˩ʔ kaːj˨˩˦]

[ɲɪj˨˩˨ kaːj˦˥]

nhị (“stamen; pistil”) + cái (“female”), calque of Chinese 雌蕊 (thư nhị)


nhị đực

[ɲi˧˨ʔ ʔɗɨk̚˧˨ʔ]

[ɲɪj˨˩ʔ ʔɗɨk̚˨˩ʔ]

[ɲɪj˨˩˨ ʔɗɨk̚˨˩˨]

nhị (“stamen; pistil”) + đực (“male”), calque of Chinese 雄蕊 (hùng nhị)


thỏ rừng

[tʰɔ˧˩ zɨŋ˨˩]

[tʰɔ˧˨ ʐɨŋ˦˩]

[tʰɔ˨˩˦ ɹɨŋ˨˩]


chim Lạc

[t͡ɕim˧˧ laːk̚˧˨ʔ]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ laːk̚˨˩ʔ]

(mythology) a mythical bird that's generally considered the symbol of the Lạc Việt


căng-gu-ru

[kaŋ˧˧ ɣu˧˧ zu˧˧]

[kaŋ˧˧ ɣʊw˧˧ ʐʊw˧˧]

[kaŋ˧˧ ɣʊw˧˧ ɹʊw˧˧]

From French kangourou, from Guugu Yimidhirr gangurru (“eastern grey kangaroo”).


cá nheo

[kaː˧˦ ɲɛw˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ ɲɛw˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ ɲɛw˧˧]

a silurid (catfish of the Siluridae family)


vịt xiêm

[vɨt̚˨˩˨ sim˧˧]

[jɨt̚˨˩˨ sim˧˧]


chuột lắt

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ lat̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ lak̚˦˧˥]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ lak̚˦˥]

Rattus exulans
Rattus exulans#Translingual


chó chăn cừu Đức

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ t͡ɕan˧˧ kiw˨˩ ʔɗɨk̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ t͡ɕaŋ˧˧ kɨw˦˩ ʔɗɨk̚˦˧˥]

[cɔ˦˥ caŋ˧˧ kɨw˨˩ ʔɗɨk̚˦˥]


bu-lô

[ʔɓu˧˧ lo˧˧]

[ʔɓʊw˧˧ low˧˧]

[ʔɓʊw˧˧ low˧˧]


chó hoang châu Phi

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ hwaːŋ˧˧ t͡ɕəw˧˧ fi˧˧]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ hwaːŋ˧˧ t͡ɕəw˧˧ fɪj˧˧]

[cɔ˦˥ waːŋ˧˧ cəw˧˧ fɪj˧˧]

Chó hoang châu Phi chỉ còn khoảng 5000 cá thể trên toàn châu Phi, là loài động vật quý hiếm mà nhiều người đánh giá không đúng về chúng.

2015, Đinh Ngân, “Những sự thật ít ai biết về chó hoang châu Phi”, in kienthuc.net.vn, archived from the original on 2023-01-01:

Dù chỉ có kích thước tương đương với một con chó nhà nhưng chó hoang châu Phi được xếp vào nhóm những kẻ đi săn thiện nghệ và nguy hiểm bậc nhất trong thiên nhiên hoang dã.

2018, Ban Biên Tập, “Chó hoang châu Phi – Chuyên gia săn mồi thiện nghệ nhất trong tự nhiên”, in DKN.TV, archived from the original on 2023-01-01:

Chó hoang châu Phi (Lycaon pictus) thường bị lép vế so với các động vật ăn thịt khác ở châu Phi. Chúng có chiều cao 75 cm tính đến vai và nặng 25 kg.

2019, An Khang, “Lần đầu ghi hình chó hoang châu Phi ăn thịt khỉ đầu chó”, in VnExpress, archived from the original on 2023-01-01:

Lycaon pictus
Lycaon pictus#Translingual


sói đỏ

[sɔj˧˦ ʔɗɔ˧˩]

[ʂɔj˨˩˦ ʔɗɔ˧˨]

[sɔj˨˩˦ ʔɗɔ˧˨]

[ʂɔj˦˥ ʔɗɔ˨˩˦]

[sɔj˦˥ ʔɗɔ˨˩˦]


mèo già hoá cáo

[mɛw˨˩ zaː˨˩ hwaː˧˦ kaːw˧˦]

[mɛw˦˩ jaː˦˩ hwaː˨˩˦ kaːw˨˩˦]

[mɛw˨˩ jaː˨˩ waː˦˥ kaːw˦˥]

(literal) when a cat is old enough, it will turn into a fox


mèo báo

[mɛw˨˩ ʔɓaːw˧˦]

[mɛw˦˩ ʔɓaːw˨˩˦]

[mɛw˨˩ ʔɓaːw˦˥]

Prionailurus bengalensis
Prionailurus bengalensis#Translingual


báo ghê-pa

[ʔɓaːw˧˦ ɣe˧˧ paː˧˧]

[ʔɓaːw˨˩˦ ɣej˧˧ paː˧˧]

[ʔɓaːw˦˥ ɣej˧˧ paː˧˧]

báo + ghê-pa, the latter from French guépard.


lợn nước

[ləːn˧˨ʔ nɨək̚˧˦]

[ləːŋ˨˩ʔ nɨək̚˦˧˥]

[ləːŋ˨˩˨ nɨək̚˦˥]


chò

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">chu, châu</i>

vi-etym-sino

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 株 (“stump; root”, SV: chu, châu)

a three-legged device for raising plates on the altar


sóc bay

[ʂawk͡p̚˦˧˥ ʔɓaj˧˧]

[sawk͡p̚˦˧˥ ʔɓaj˧˧]

[ʂawk͡p̚˦˥ ʔɓa(ː)j˧˧]

sóc + bay. calque of English flying squirrel


ông nói gà, bà nói vịt

[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ nɔj˧˦ ɣaː˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ nɔj˧˦ vit̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ nɔj˨˩˦ ɣaː˦˩ ʔɓaː˦˩ nɔj˨˩˦ vit̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ nɔj˦˥ ɣaː˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ nɔj˦˥ vɨt̚˨˩˨]

[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ nɔj˦˥ ɣaː˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ nɔj˦˥ jɨt̚˨˩˨]

(literal) he said chickens, she said ducks


chuột sóc

[t͡ɕuət̚˧˨ʔ sawk͡p̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ ʂawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[t͡ɕuək̚˨˩ʔ sawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[cuək̚˨˩˨ ʂawk͡p̚˦˥]


trâu bò

[t͡ɕəw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩]

[ʈəw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˦˩]

[ʈəw˧˧ ʔɓɔ˨˩]

(literal, collective) water buffaloes and cattle


rắn đuôi chuông

[zan˧˦ ʔɗuəj˧˧ t͡ɕuəŋ˧˧]

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ ʔɗuj˧˧ t͡ɕuəŋ˧˧]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ ʔɗuj˧˧ cuəŋ˧˧]

rắn (“non-constricting snake”) + đuôi (“tail”) + chuông (“bell”)


tườu

Điền đã thấy nóng mặt, muốn vặt lại một câu nhưng rồi cố nén bằng cách đưa ly nước lên miệng uống ực một cái. Con tườu!

2001, Chu Lai, Cuộc đời dài lắm, NXB Văn học, page 206:

Điền felt hot in the face and wanted to spit out some words, but then he suppressed the urge bringing his glass of water to his mouth and drinking a gulp. Monkey!


linh dương hoẵng

[lïŋ˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧ hwaŋ˦ˀ˥]

[lɨn˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧ hwaŋ˧˨]

[lɨn˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧ waŋ˨˩˦]

linh dương (“antelope”) + hoẵng (“muntjac”). Calque of Chinese 麂羚 (kỉ linh).


trắm

pike (any carnivorous freshwater fish of the genus Esox)


hươu nai

[hɨəw˧˧ naːj˧˧]

[hɨəw˧˧ naːj˧˧]

hươu + nai. The first word refers to deer in general and the second to sambar deer.


có vú

[kɔ˨˩˦ vʊw˨˩˦]

[kɔ˦˥ vʊw˦˥]

[kɔ˦˥ jʊw˦˥]

The có (“to have”) + vú (“breast”), or a blend of có + núm vú (“nipple”).


điệp

Sino-Vietnamese word from 蝶 (“butterfly”).
The sense of "scallop" is due to the visual similarity between scallop's valves and butterfly's wings when spread.


sò điệp

[sɔ˨˩ ʔɗiəp̚˧˨ʔ]

[ʂɔ˦˩ ʔɗiəp̚˨˩ʔ]

[sɔ˦˩ ʔɗiəp̚˨˩ʔ]

[ʂɔ˨˩ ʔɗip̚˨˩˨]

[sɔ˨˩ ʔɗip̚˨˩˨]


động vật nguyên sinh

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ vət̚˧˨ʔ ŋwiən˧˧ sïŋ˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ vək̚˨˩ʔ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ vək̚˨˩˨ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩˨ jək̚˨˩˨ ŋwiəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

động vật (“animal”) + nguyên sinh (“primordial”), calque of Chinese 原生動物 /原生动物 (nguyên sinh động vật).


cò mỏ giày

[kɔ˨˩ mɔ˧˩ zaj˨˩]

[kɔ˦˩ mɔ˧˨ jaj˦˩]

[kɔ˨˩ mɔ˨˩˦ ja(ː)j˨˩]

cò + mỏ + giày. Calque of English shoebill.


hắc tinh tinh

[hak̚˧˦ tïŋ˧˧ tïŋ˧˧]

[hak̚˦˧˥ tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

[hak̚˦˥ tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 黑猩猩, composed of 黑 (“black”) and 猩猩 (“ape”), from Chinese 黑猩猩 (hēixīngxing).


đại tinh tinh

[ʔɗaːj˧˨ʔ tïŋ˧˧ tïŋ˧˧]

[ʔɗaːj˨˩ʔ tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

[ʔɗaːj˨˩˨ tɨn˧˧ tɨn˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 大猩猩 (“gorilla”).


Ngựa

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Jessica Nguyen (Pamputt)-ngựa.wav


lông mao

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ maːw˧˧]

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ maːw˧˧]

[ləwŋ͡m˧˧ maːw˧˧]

lông (“fur”) + mao (Sino-Vietnamese word from 毛).

com

Sino-Vietnamese word from <i class="Hani mention" lang="vi">毛</i>


lửng chó

[lɨŋ˧˩ t͡ɕɔ˧˦]

[lɨŋ˧˨ t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦]

[lɨŋ˨˩˦ cɔ˦˥]


tầm vông

[təm˨˩ vəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[təm˦˩ vəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[təm˨˩ vəwŋ͡m˧˧]

[təm˨˩ jəwŋ͡m˧˧]


giẻ cùi

[jɛ˨˩˦ kuj˨˩]

red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)

some other birds in the genera Urocissa and Cissa


dơi quạ

[zəːj˧˧ kwaː˧˨ʔ]

[jəːj˧˧ kwaː˨˩ʔ]

[jəːj˧˧ waː˨˩˨]


thuỷ cầm

[tʰwɪj˧˨ kəm˦˩]

[tʰ⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩˦ kəm˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 水禽, composed of 水 (“water”) and 禽 (“bird”).

vi-etym-sino

(collective) anseriforms, especially ducks and geese


mèo rừng

[mɛw˨˩ zɨŋ˨˩]

[mɛw˦˩ ʐɨŋ˦˩]

[mɛw˨˩ ɹɨŋ˨˩]


hà thủ ô

[haː˨˩ tʰu˧˩ ʔo˧˧]

[haː˦˩ tʰʊw˧˨ ʔow˧˧]

[haː˨˩ tʰʊw˨˩˦ ʔow˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 何首烏, from Chinese 何首烏 /何首乌 (héshǒuwū).

Reynoutria multiflora (Chinese knotweed)


róm

con (classifier)
𧐽 (CJK)
𧓦 (CJK)
𧖐 (CJK)

Short for sâu róm (“hairy caterpillar”).


thì là

head

thì là • (蒔蘿)

[tʰi˨˩ laː˨˩]

[tʰɪj˦˩ laː˦˩]

[tʰɪj˨˩ laː˨˩]


phi lao

1956, "Việt Nam quê hương tôi (Vietnam, Our Homeland)", lyrics and music by Đỗ Nhuận
Nghe sóng vỗ dạt dào biển cả, vút phi lao gió thổi trên bờ.

Hear the waves bellowing on the wide broad sea, and the winds blowing swiftly through the soaring casuarinas ashore.


cá bột

[kaː˧˦ ʔɓot̚˧˨ʔ]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʔɓok̚˨˩ʔ]

[kaː˦˥ ʔɓok̚˨˩˨]


a-ti-sô

[ʔaː˧˧ ti˧˧ so˧˧]

[ʔaː˧˧ tɪj˧˧ ʂow˧˧]

[ʔaː˧˧ tɪj˧˧ sow˧˧]

[ʔaː˧˧ tɪj˧˧ ʂow˧˧]

[ʔaː˧˧ tɪj˧˧ sow˧˧]


cá trích

[kaː˧˦ t͡ɕïk̟̚˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ ʈɨt̚˦˧˥]

[kaː˦˥ ʈɨt̚˦˥]


mèo mướp

[mɛw˨˩ mɨəp̚˧˦]

[mɛw˦˩ mɨəp̚˦˧˥]

[mɛw˨˩ mɨəp̚˦˥]


nghêu

der

SV: <i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">nhiêu</i>

vi-etym-sino

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 蟯 (“clam (Hokkien)”, SV: nhiêu)


三角龍

tam giác long
tam giác long#Vietnamese:_三角龍

chữ Hán form of tam giác long (“triceratops”).


cá nhồng

[kaː˧˦ ɲəwŋ͡m˨˩]

[kaː˨˩˦ ɲəwŋ͡m˦˩]

[kaː˦˥ ɲəwŋ͡m˨˩]


ma mút

[maː˧˧ mʊk̚˦˧˥]

[maː˧˧ mʊk͡p̚˦˥]


liên cầu khuẩn

[liəŋ˧˧ kəw˦˩ kʰwəŋ˧˨]

[liəŋ˧˧ kəw˦˩ xwəŋ˧˨]

[liəŋ˧˧ kəw˨˩ kʰwəŋ˨˩˦]

[liəŋ˧˧ kəw˨˩ xwəŋ˨˩˦]


phế cầu khuẩn

[fej˨˩˦ kəw˦˩ kʰwəŋ˧˨]

[fej˨˩˦ kəw˦˩ xwəŋ˧˨]

[fej˦˥ kəw˨˩ kʰwəŋ˨˩˦]

[fej˦˥ kəw˨˩ xwəŋ˨˩˦]


tụ cầu khuẩn

[tu˧˨ʔ kəw˨˩ xwən˧˩]

[tʊw˨˩ʔ kəw˦˩ kʰwəŋ˧˨]

[tʊw˨˩ʔ kəw˦˩ xwəŋ˧˨]

[tʊw˨˩˨ kəw˨˩ kʰwəŋ˨˩˦]

[tʊw˨˩˨ kəw˨˩ xwəŋ˨˩˦]


tụ cầu vàng

[tu˧˨ʔ kəw˨˩ vaːŋ˨˩]

[tʊw˨˩ʔ kəw˦˩ vaːŋ˦˩]

[tʊw˨˩˨ kəw˨˩ vaːŋ˨˩]

[tʊw˨˩˨ kəw˨˩ jaːŋ˨˩]

Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus#Translingual


não mô cầu

[naːw˦ˀ˥ mo˧˧ kəw˨˩]

Neisseria meningitidis
Neisseria meningitidis#Translingual


cá lăng

[kaː˧˦ laŋ˧˧]

[kaː˨˩˦ laŋ˧˧]

[kaː˦˥ laŋ˧˧]

com

cá (“fish”) + lăng (of uncertain origin; compare Chinese 鯪 /鲮 (líng))

bagrid catfish, naked catfish (especially species present in Vietnam)


tiểu mạch

Sino-Vietnamese word from 小麥, composed of 小 (“small”) and 麥 (“wheat”), from Chinese 小麥 /小麦 (xiǎomài). Compare Japanese 小麦 (komugi).

vi-etym-sino

Coordinate term: đại mạch


thường xanh

[tʰɨəŋ˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧]

[tʰɨəŋ˦˩ sɛɲ˧˧]

[tʰɨəŋ˨˩ san˧˧]

thường (“normally; usually”) + xanh (“grue”).


chó cứ sủa còn đoàn người cứ đi

[t͡ɕɔ˧˦ kɨ˧˦ suə˧˩ kɔn˨˩ ʔɗwaːn˨˩ ŋɨəj˨˩ kɨ˧˦ ʔɗi˧˧]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ kɨ˨˩˦ ʂuə˧˨ kɔŋ˦˩ ʔɗwaːŋ˦˩ ŋɨj˦˩ kɨ˨˩˦ ʔɗɪj˧˧]

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦ kɨ˨˩˦ suə˧˨ kɔŋ˦˩ ʔɗwaːŋ˦˩ ŋɨj˦˩ kɨ˨˩˦ ʔɗɪj˧˧]

[cɔ˦˥ kɨ˦˥ ʂuə˨˩˦ kɔŋ˨˩ ʔɗwaːŋ˨˩ ŋɨj˨˩ kɨ˦˥ ʔɗɪj˧˧]

[cɔ˦˥ kɨ˦˥ suə˨˩˦ kɔŋ˨˩ ʔɗwaːŋ˨˩ ŋɨj˨˩ kɨ˦˥ ʔɗɪj˧˧]

Calque of French les chiens aboient, la caravane passe, possibly ultimately from a Turkic language.
See the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on for more.

calque

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on
the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on


uyên ương

[ʔwiən˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔwiəŋ˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

[(ʔ)wiəŋ˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鴛鴦 (“mandarin duck”).

vi-etym-sino

Aix galericulata
Aix galericulata#Translingual

(zoology) a mandarin duck (a perching duck of the species Aix galericulata)


tuấn mã

[twən˧˦ maː˦ˀ˥]

[twəŋ˦˧˥ maː˧˨]

[t⁽ʷ⁾əŋ˦˥ maː˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 駿馬, composed of 駿 (“excellent horse”) and 馬 (“horse”).

(literary) excellent horse, prized horse


tấy

See rái.
In spite of a phonological discrepancy, rái and tấy are both regular reflexes of the Proto-Vietic word in terms of dialectal development, wih most Vietnamese dialects spirantized medial *-s- to ‹r› while the North Central dialects kept the *-s- (that later regularly shifted to ‹t›) unaffected by the presyllable *p-. For the ‹ay›-‹ây› (< *eː) correspondence, compare North Central gấy vs. standard written gái, trấy vs. trái, cây vs. gai.

North Central Vietnam form of rái (“otter”)


gấu trắng

[ɣəw˧˦ t͡ɕaŋ˧˦]

[ɣəw˨˩˦ ʈaŋ˦˧˥]

[ɣəw˦˥ ʈaŋ˦˥]

Ursus maritimus
Ursus maritimus#Translingual

white bear, polar bear (Ursus maritimus)


rắn hổ

[ʐaŋ˦˧˥ how˧˨]

[ɹaŋ˦˥ how˨˩˦]

(rắn) hổ mang

(rắn) hổ mang chúa

(rắn) hổ trâu

(rắn) hổ lửa


Huyền Vũ

[hwiəŋ˦˩ vʊw˧˨]

[wiəŋ˨˩ vʊw˨˩˦]

[wiəŋ˨˩ jʊw˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 玄武, composed of 玄 (“black”) and 武 (“warrior”), from Literary Chinese 玄武 (Xuánwǔ).


lồ ô

certain species of bamboo, such as Bambusa procera


Bạch Hổ

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ ho˧˩]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ how˧˨]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩˨ how˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 白虎, composed of 白 (“white”) and 虎 (“tiger”), from Literary Chinese 白虎 (báihǔ).

Bạch Hổ Hoạt Lạc Cao


Chu Tước

[t͡ɕu˧˧ tɨək̚˧˦]

[t͡ɕʊw˧˧ tɨək̚˦˧˥]

[cʊw˧˧ tɨək̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 朱雀, composed of 朱 (“vermilion”) and 雀 (“sparrow”), from Literary Chinese 朱雀 (zhūquè).


con giáp

[kɔn˧˧ zaːp̚˧˦]

[kɔŋ˧˧ jaːp̚˦˧˥]

[kɔŋ˧˧ jaːp̚˦˥]

con + giáp (“甲, the first heavenly stem”). Probably so named because of the significance of 甲子 (Giáp Tí), the first element in the sexagenary cycle.


ớt chuông

[ʔəːt̚˧˦ t͡ɕuəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəːk̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕuəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəːk̚˦˥ cuəŋ˧˧]

ớt + chuông, calque of English bell pepper.


rau sam

[ʐaw˧˧ ʂaːm˧˧]

[ɹa(ː)w˧˧ ʂaːm˧˧]

Portulaca oleracea
Portulaca oleracea#Translingual


thạch tùng

[tʰajk̟̚˧˨ʔ tʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩ʔ tʊwŋ͡m˦˩]

[tʰat̚˨˩˨ tʊwŋ͡m˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 石松, composed of 石 and 松.

vi-etym-sino

Màu xanh ấy và đôi chữ cũng xanh ấy gợi nhớ tới loài hoa thạch-tùng-xoan trung trinh trong lòng anh trai làng vừa tròn mười tám.

1978, Chu Lai, chapter 2, in Nắng đồng bằng, NXB Quân đội Nhân dân:

The shade of green and those two words, also green, brought memories of the faithful egg-leafed club moss flowers to the heart of the only just eighteen-year-old village boy.

Lycopodium clavatum
Lycopodium clavatum#Translingual


lau lách

Cả ngày đêm chỉ nghe gió xào xạc trên lau lách, nghe ràn rạt nước lớn lại ròng.

1978, Chu Lai, chapter 5, in Nắng đồng bằng, NXB Quân đội Nhân dân:

Day and night the only sounds were the wind rustling in the reed and the water rising and ebbing.

reed (tall stiff perennial grass-like plants growing together in groups near water)


chim có tổ, người có tông

[t͡ɕim˧˧ kɔ˧˦ to˧˩ ŋɨəj˨˩ kɔ˧˦ təwŋ͡m˧˧]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ kɔ˨˩˦ tow˧˨ ŋɨj˦˩ kɔ˨˩˦ təwŋ͡m˧˧]

[cim˧˧ kɔ˦˥ tow˨˩˦ ŋɨj˨˩ kɔ˦˥ təwŋ͡m˧˧]

tổ has two meanings, native Vietnamese "nest" and Sino-Vietnamese "ancestor".

(literal) birds have nests, people have lineages


đậu đũa

head

đậu đũa • (豆𪳌)

[ʔɗəw˧˨ʔ ʔɗuə˦ˀ˥]

[ʔɗəw˨˩ʔ ʔɗuə˧˨]

[ʔɗəw˨˩˨ ʔɗuə˨˩˦]

Giữa ván đã để sẵn gô cơm gạo mới thơm ngào ngạt và mấy lát đậu đũa, đậu xương rồng chiên dầu đậu nành rải lên trên.

In the middle of the plank a billycan of strongly fragrant rice sprinkled with some slices of yardlong beans and Manila beans fried in soybean oil stood ready.

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis#Translingual

yardlong bean, asparagus bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis)


song cầu khuẩn

[ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ kəw˦˩ kʰwəŋ˧˨]

[sɔŋ˧˧ kəw˦˩ xwəŋ˧˨]

[ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ kəw˨˩ kʰwəŋ˨˩˦]

[sawŋ͡m˧˧ kəw˨˩ xwəŋ˨˩˦]


cù lần

[kʊw˦˩ ləŋ˦˩]

[kʊw˨˩ ləŋ˨˩]

Cognate with Tho [Cuối Chăm] (kɒːn¹) kuː¹ liŋ¹.
Compare also chân, đến, lên for other instances of palatalization of *-ŋ after front vowels.


lửng mật

[lɨŋ˧˩ mət̚˧˨ʔ]

[lɨŋ˧˨ mək̚˨˩ʔ]

[lɨŋ˨˩˦ mək̚˨˩˨]


ngũ mã phanh thây

[ŋu˦ˀ˥ maː˦ˀ˥ fajŋ̟˧˧ tʰəj˧˧]

[ŋʊw˧˨ maː˧˨ fɛɲ˧˧ tʰəj˧˧]

[ŋʊw˨˩˦ maː˨˩˦ fan˧˧ tʰəj˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-ngũ mã phanh thây.wav

Partial calque of Chinese 五馬分屍 /五马分尸 (ngũ mã phân thi), but with the substitution of phân (分) with the etymologically unrelated phanh through phono-semantic matching.

pcal

(historical) dismemberment with five horses


cây trinh nữ

[kəj˧˧ t͡ɕïŋ˧˧ nɨ˦ˀ˥]

[kəj˧˧ ʈɨn˧˧ nɨ˧˨]

[kəj˧˧ ʈɨn˧˧ nɨ˨˩˦]

cây (“plant”) + trinh nữ (“female virgin”), perhaps in reference to a timid maiden covering her face.


cây xấu hổ

[kəj˧˧ səw˧˦ ho˧˩]

[kəj˧˧ səw˨˩˦ how˧˨]

[kəj˧˧ səw˦˥ how˨˩˦]

cây (“plant”) + xấu hổ (“embarrassed; ashamed”)


cây mắc cỡ

[kəj˧˧ mak̚˧˦ kəː˦ˀ˥]

[kəj˧˧ mak̚˦˧˥ kəː˧˨]

[kəj˧˧ mak̚˦˥ kəː˨˩˦]


mít ướt

[mit̚˧˦ ʔɨət̚˧˦]

[mit̚˦˧˥ ʔɨək̚˦˧˥]

[mɨt̚˦˥ ʔɨək̚˦˥]

mít (“jackfruit”) + ướt (“wet”), because it's wet as opposed to mít dai (“chewy jackfruit”)/mít ráo (“dry jackfruit”).

To đầu mà mít ướt !

You're/They're such a grown-ass crybaby!


bồ đề

[ʔɓo˨˩ ʔɗe˨˩]

[ʔɓow˦˩ ʔɗej˦˩]

[ʔɓow˨˩ ʔɗej˨˩]

Ficus religiosa
Ficus religiosa#Translingual


cải củ

[kaːj˨˩˦ kʊw˨˩˦]

Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus#Translingual

Raphanus sativus
Raphanus sativus#Translingual

Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus, syn. Raphanus sativus), particularly the Vietnamese varieties of daikon, the East Asian long white radish.


lằng

From Proto-Vietic *-laŋ (“bluebottle fly”), from Old Chinese 蠅 (OC *m-rəŋ, “housefly”) (B-S) (SV: dăng). Cognate with Chut [Rục] məlaŋ¹.
This is an example of a Sinitic loanword borrowed at the stage when the shift *m-r- > *m-l- already happened. Compare lẽ (“reason”) < Middle Vietnamese mlẽ, from Chinese 理 (lǐ) (phonetic 里 (OC *m(ə).rəʔ)).

common green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata)


tê giác đen

[te˧˧ zaːk̚˧˦ ʔɗɛn˧˧]

[tej˧˧ jaːk̚˦˧˥ ʔɗɛŋ˧˧]

[tej˧˧ jaːk̚˦˥ ʔɗɛŋ˧˧]


head

[haːj˧˧ ŋɨəj˨˩ ʔɗaːn˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ vaː˨˩ mot̚˧˨ʔ kɔn˧˧ vit̚˧˨ʔ tʰajŋ̟˨˩ kaːj˧˦ t͡ɕəː˧˨ʔ]

[haːj˧˧ ŋɨj˦˩ ʔɗaːŋ˦˩ ʔɓaː˦˩ vaː˦˩ mok̚˨˩ʔ kɔŋ˧˧ vit̚˨˩ʔ tʰɛɲ˦˩ kaːj˨˩˦ t͡ɕəː˨˩ʔ]

[haːj˧˧ ŋɨj˨˩ ʔɗaːŋ˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ vaː˨˩ mok̚˨˩˨ kɔŋ˧˧ vɨt̚˨˩˨ tʰan˨˩ kaːj˦˥ cəː˨˩˨]

[haːj˧˧ ŋɨj˨˩ ʔɗaːŋ˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ jaː˨˩ mok̚˨˩˨ kɔŋ˧˧ jɨt̚˨˩˨ tʰan˨˩ kaːj˦˥ cəː˨˩˨]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-hai người đàn bà và một con vịt thành cái chợ.wav

(derogatory) women are stereotypically loud, talkative, prone to nagging and gossiping


chim nhại

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ɲaːj˧˨ʔ]

[t͡ɕim˧˧ ɲaːj˨˩ʔ]

[cim˧˧ ɲaːj˨˩˨]


ba kích

vi-noun

(classifier cây, hoa, trái, quả) ba kích

cây (classifier)
hoa (classifier)
trái (classifier)
quả (classifier)

[ʔɓaː˧˧ kïk̟̚˧˦]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ kɨt̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ kɨt̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 巴戟 (“root of Morinda officinalis”).

vi-etym-sino

kind of Indian mulberry (Morinda officinalis)


khướu

con (classifier)
窖 (CJK)
𩿨 (CJK)
𫛕 (CJK)
𩿚 (CJK)

Old World babbler (bird of the family Timaliidae)


cháy nhà mới ra mặt chuột

(literal) when the house burns, the rodents show their faces; only after the house is incinerated will people who burn it show their mousy faces


giận cá chém thớt

(literal) to be angry at the fish and slash the chopping board


bạch chỉ

Sino-Vietnamese word from 白芷 (“Angelica dahurica”).

vi:Bạch chỉ (Phật giáo)
vi:Bạch chỉ (thuốc Bắc)

[ʔɓajk̟̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕi˧˩]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕɪj˧˨]

[ʔɓat̚˨˩˨ cɪj˨˩˦]

rễ bạch chỉ


nhồng

Gracula religiosa
Gracula religiosa#Translingual


chỉ thiên

[t͡ɕi˧˩ tʰiən˧˧]

[t͡ɕɪj˧˨ tʰiəŋ˧˧]

[cɪj˨˩˦ tʰiəŋ˧˧]

chỉ (“to point”) + thiên (“sky”). Compare 指天椒 (zhǐtiānjiāo, “facing heaven pepper”).


chò chỉ

[t͡ɕɔ˨˩ t͡ɕi˧˩]

[t͡ɕɔ˦˩ t͡ɕɪj˧˨]

[cɔ˨˩ cɪj˨˩˦]

chò (Parashorea) + chỉ. The second element is of uncertain origin.


hồng táo

quả (classifier)
trái (classifier)
cây (classifier)

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ taːw˧˦]

[həwŋ͡m˦˩ taːw˨˩˦]

[həwŋ͡m˨˩ taːw˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 紅棗 (“red jujube”).

Ziziphus jujuba
Ziziphus jujuba#Translingual


dầu giun

[jəw˨˩ jʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

Dysphania ambrosioides
Dysphania ambrosioides#Translingual

Jesuit's tea; Mexican-tea (Dysphania ambrosioides)


gắm

kind of climbing shrub (Gnetum montanum)


nguyệt quế

[ŋwiət̚˧˨ʔ kwe˧˦]

[ŋwiək̚˨˩ʔ kwej˨˩˦]

[ŋwiək̚˨˩˨ wej˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 月桂, composed of 月 (“moon”) and 桂 (“cinnamon”).

vòng nguyệt quế


dẽ giun

[zɛ˦ˀ˥ zun˧˧]

[jɛ˨˩˦ jʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

genus Gallinago (of the family Scolopacidae)


ớt chỉ thiên

vi-noun

(classifier quả, trái, cây) ớt chỉ thiên

[ʔəːt̚˧˦ t͡ɕi˧˩ tʰiən˧˧]

[ʔəːk̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕɪj˧˨ tʰiəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəːk̚˦˥ cɪj˨˩˦ tʰiəŋ˧˧]

ớt (“chili”) + chỉ thiên (“skyward”), calque of Chinese 指天椒 (facing heaven pepper).

cal

facing heaven pepper
w:en:facing heaven pepper

Capsicum annuum
Capsicum annuum#Translingual