念

念神咒 (niệm thần chú)


旱

解旱 (giải hạn)

to neutralize unlucky supernatural forces that's haunting you

chữ Hán form of hạn.
(occult) a period of bad luck

chữ Hán form of hạn.
a period of bad luck


童

bà đồng

(occult, divination) of mediums or divination


đồng

Norman & Mei (1976: 296-7) propose an Austroasiatic origin and consider it cognate to Mon ဒံၚ် (tòŋ, “to dance while under daemonic possession; to proceed by leaps”), ဒေါၚ် (tòŋ, “shaman called in to organise kəlok dances”), etc.; they even propose Austroasiatic etymology for Chinese 童 (“(dialectal) shaman”). Sagart (2008:142) counts Vietnamese đồng among "Austroasiatic terms", yet he considers the resemblance between those and Chinese 童 (“(dialectal) shaman”) to be "undoubtedly fortuitous".
However, Vietnamese đồng is also likely a Sino-Vietnamese word from 童 (“child; servant; (dialectal) shaman”).

vi-etym-sino

ông đồng

bà đồng

thứ nhất ngồi đồng, thứ nhì chồng quan

sitting (as) a medium ranks first; having an official for a husband ranks second [among the best things for women]

𨔍(Lạ)之(gì)󰜋(một)骨(cốt)󰜋(một)同(đồng)初(xưa)󰅒(nay)

1820, Nguyễn Du (阮攸), Truyện Kiều (傳翹) [The Tale of Kieu], Liễu Văn Ðường edition, published 1866, line 1162:

Little wonder that the witch and the medium have been working hand in glove with each other!


ám

bị ma ám


phách

Đêm qua chẳng biết có hay không,
Chẳng phải hoảng hốt, không mơ mòng.
Thật hồn! Thật phách! Thật thân thế!
Thật được lên tiên - sướng lạ lùng.

1921, Tản Đà, Hầu Trời [Serving the Heavenly Lord]:

Not sure last night was real,
I don't think I was frightened or dreaming.
But rather, really spirited! Really zealous! Really lively!
Really got into heaven - so joyful.

(occult, folklore) a soul; a spirit (po as opposed to hun)


âm

ngày âm

(occult) having "yin" characteristics, as in "dark", "lunar" or "feminine"


dương

ngày dương

(occult) having "yang" characteristics, such as "bright", "solar" or "masculine"


âm dương

[ʔəm˧˧ zɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəm˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

[ʔəm˧˧ jɨəŋ˧˧]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-âm dương.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 陰陽, composed of 陰 (“yin”) and 陽 (“yang”).


cốt

From etymology above, as seen in the expression ‘[có] căn cốt đồng’ “[to have] the essence / inner quality to be a medium”.

bà cốt

ông cốt


cúng

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 供 (“to offer”, SV: cung). Doublet of cung.

der

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

vi-etym-sino

(religion, occult) to give offerings, to enshrine, to worship


tế

tế sống

(occult) to sacrifice to; to make an offering to


tuổi

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 歲 (“age”, SV: tuế).

der

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

vi-etym-sino

Mày tuổi gì?
Tuổi mèo/Mão.
What's your zodiac beast?
Cat.

Nó tuổi hổ/Dần nên nóng tính lắm.

His zodiac beast is the Tiger. No wonder he has such a temper.

Tao tuổi trâu/Sửu, nó tuổi hổ/Dần, không hạp nhau đâu.

My zodiac beast is the Buffalo, his is the Tiger, so we don't get along.

(occult, divination) the Vietnamese zodiac equivalent of a zodiac sign, i.e. an earthly branch or a zodiac beast, based on birthyear


mệnh

Sino-Vietnamese word from 命; this is the Northern form. Doublet of mạng, the Southern form.

Mệnh hoả không hạp với mệnh thuỷ.

"Fire people" don't get along with "water people".

(occult) the wuxing element you're associated with, which dictates your luck and the kind of people you can get along with


kiếp

kiếp trước

Nếu có kiếp sau, ta nguyện bên nhau.

If there is another life, we vow to be together.

Ta mang bao tội lỗi,
Nên thân ta giờ đây,
Kiếp sống không nhà không người thân.
Ta mang bao tội lỗi,
Người ơi, ta đâu còn chi !
Xin hãy tránh xa kiếp đỏ đen !

(Can we date this quote?), Duy Mạnh (lyrics and music), “Kiếp đỏ đen [Gambling Life]”:

I'm so sinful,
Now I have to live this life,
No home, no loved ones.
I'm so sinful,
O humanity, I have nothing left!
Please stay clear of the gambling life!

♀: Em yêu anh, ngả nghiêng, bồng bềnh niềm kiêu hãnh.
Thiên đường xanh mướt, gió trong lành
Cuốn vào đời anh là em bất tận.
Vô tình chúng ta thuộc về nhau, ngàn kiếp sau.

(Can we date this quote?), Mạnh Quân (lyrics and music), “Thiên đường gọi tên [The Paradise is Saying Your Name]”:

♀: I love you, with drifting, floating pride.
A green paradise, with refreshing winds
That carry all of my infinite self into your life.
By the hands of fate, we belong together, for all lives after this.


hoàng tuyền

[hwaːŋ˦˩ twiəŋ˦˩]

[waːŋ˨˩ t⁽ʷ⁾iəŋ˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 黃泉, composed of 黃 (“yellow”) and 泉 (“spring”).


suối vàng

[suəj˧˦ vaːŋ˨˩]

[ʂuj˨˩˦ vaːŋ˦˩]

[suj˨˩˦ vaːŋ˦˩]

[ʂuj˦˥ vaːŋ˨˩]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-suối vàng.wav

suối (“spring; stream”) + vàng (“yellow”), calque of Chinese 黃泉 /黄泉 (hoàng tuyền)

cal

<i class="Latn mention" lang="vi">hoàng tuyền</i>

xuống suối vàng

Mày mà cứ thối thây thế này cả đời thì tao có xuống suối vàng cũng không nhắm mắt nổi.

I'll never be able to die with my eyes closed if you just keep being a worthless ass like this for all your life.


nhập

Sino-Vietnamese word from 入 (“to enter; to take in”).

vi-etym-sino

bị ma/quỷ nhập


hạn

giải hạn

Năm nay hạn.

This year's gonna have a drought. / This year's projected to be unlucky for me.


lành

head

令, 冷, 怜, 苓, 袊, 𡅐, 𡅑, 𫅜, 𬙽, 𫅞, 󰃬

lành • (令, 冷, 怜, 苓, 袊, 𡅐, 𡅑, 𫅜, 𬙽, 𫅞, 󰃬)

vi-adj

令, 冷, 怜, 苓, 袊, 𡅐, 𡅑, 𫅜, 𬙽, 𫅞, 󰃬

令 (CJK)
冷 (CJK)
怜 (CJK)
苓 (CJK)
袊 (CJK)
𡅐 (CJK)
𡅑 (CJK)
𫅜 (CJK)
𬙽 (CJK)
𫅞 (CJK)

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 令 (“good; fine; excellent”, SV: lệnh).
Attested in the Annan Jishi (安南即事, 13th centry) as 領 (MC ljengX), glossed as "good" (好), with "not good" (不好) being 張領 (MC trjang ljengX), i.e. chẳng lành.

der

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

vi-etym-sino

điềm lành

ngày lành


đầu thai

[ʔɗəw˨˩ tʰaːj˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˦˩ tʰaːj˧˧]

[ʔɗəw˨˩ tʰaːj˧˧]


chín suối

[t͡ɕin˦˧˥ ʂuj˨˩˦]

[t͡ɕin˦˧˥ suj˨˩˦]

[cɨn˦˥ ʂuj˦˥]

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

Calque of Chinese 九泉 (cửu tuyền), from chín (“nine”) + suối (“spring”).

(occult) Synonym of suối vàng (“the world of the dead”)


cõi

bờ cõi

cõi âm/dương
the realm of the dead/living
(literally, “the yin/yang realm”)

cõi vĩnh hằng

Cõi người ta

(literary, usually occult, religion or figurative) a domain, realm or land


hình nộm

[hïŋ˨˩ nom˧˨ʔ]

hình nộm thử nghiệm va chạm


âm phủ

[ʔəm˧˧ fu˧˩]

[ʔəm˧˧ fʊw˧˨]

[ʔəm˧˧ fʊw˨˩˦]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-âm phủ.wav

Sino-Vietnamese word from 陰府, composed of 陰 (“yin; of the dead”) and 府 (“domain”).

(Chinese mythology, occult) the world of the dead where King Yama reigns


nguyền

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 願 (SV: nguyện).

der

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

vi-etym-sino

bài hát bị nguyền


ba hồn bảy vía

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hon˨˩ ʔɓaj˧˩ viə˧˦]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˦˩ ʔɓaj˧˨ viə˨˩˦]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˨˩ ʔɓa(ː)j˨˩˦ viə˦˥]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˨˩ ʔɓa(ː)j˨˩˦ jiə˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-ba hồn bảy vía.wav

Calque of Chinese 三魂七魄 (tam hồn thất phách, literally “three hun, seven po”)

cal

Bớ ba hồn bảy vía ông Quang!

(occult, typically in summoning rituals) the three hun and seven po of a dead male person


ba hồn chín vía

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hon˨˩ t͡ɕin˧˦ viə˧˦]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˦˩ t͡ɕin˦˧˥ viə˨˩˦]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˨˩ cɨn˦˥ viə˦˥]

[ʔɓaː˧˧ hoŋ˨˩ cɨn˦˥ jiə˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-ba hồn chín vía.wav

Calque of Chinese 三魂九魄 (tam hồn cửu phách, literally “three hun, nine po”).

(occult, typically in summoning rituals) the three hun and nine po of a dead female person


pháp sư

[faːp̚˧˦ sɨ˧˧]

[faːp̚˦˧˥ ʂɨ˧˧]

[faːp̚˦˧˥ sɨ˧˧]

[faːp̚˦˥ ʂɨ˧˧]

[faːp̚˦˥ sɨ˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 法師, composed of 法 (“Buddhist law; dharma”) and 師 (“master”), from Literary Chinese 法師 (fǎshī), influenced by pháp thuật (“magic”).


úm ba la xì bùa

[ʔum˧˦ ʔɓaː˧˧ laː˧˧ si˨˩ ʔɓuə˨˩]

[ʔum˦˧˥ ʔɓaː˧˧ laː˧˧ sɪj˦˩ ʔɓuə˦˩]

[ʔʊm˦˥ ʔɓaː˧˧ laː˧˧ sɪj˨˩ ʔɓuə˨˩]


u minh

[ʔu˧˧ mïŋ˧˧]

[ʔʊw˧˧ mɨn˧˧]

[ʔʊw˧˧ mɨn˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 幽明, composed of 幽 (“gloomy”) and 明 (“bright”).

(occult) this world and the otherworld; the world of the living and the world of the dead


quỷ sứ

[kwɪj˧˨ ʂɨ˨˩˦]

[kwɪj˧˨ sɨ˨˩˦]

[wɪj˨˩˦ ʂɨ˦˥]

[wɪj˨˩˦ sɨ˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鬼 (“ghost; demon”) and 使 (“envoy; messenger”).

nghịch như quỷ (sứ)

Nhà tôi có hai thằng quỷ sứ.

There are two little "demon boys" in my family.

(occult, mythology) a type of errand demon in the world of the dead


cầu siêu

[kəw˦˩ ʂiw˧˧]

[kəw˨˩ ʂiw˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 求超. Probably a blend of cầu (“to wish for, to pray for”) + siêu thoát (“to pass on”).

blend

(occult and Buddhism) to pray as a group to support deceased souls


chầu trời

[t͡ɕəw˨˩ t͡ɕəːj˨˩]

[t͡ɕəw˦˩ ʈəːj˦˩]

[cəw˨˩ ʈəːj˨˩]

thả cả chép, tiễn ông Táo lên chầu trời

to release a carp and give the Kitchen God a ride to heaven

(folklore, occult, of a god) to attend the heavenly court of the Jade Emperor


tiên tri

[tiən˧˧ t͡ɕi˧˧]

[tiəŋ˧˧ ʈɪj˧˧]

[tiəŋ˧˧ ʈɪj˧˧]

nhà tiên tri


hồ lô

Sino-Vietnamese word from 葫蘆 (“calabash”).

vi-etym-sino

Bảy anh em hồ lô

Ta thường thấy bên cạnh ông Thọ luôn treo một bình hồ lô lớn vì vậy hồ lô được coi là đồ vật tượng trưng cho sức khỏe và sự trường thọ.

Lord Longevity is always seen with a big calabash bottle, which is why these things are considered objects of good health and longevity.

(chiefly Chinese fiction or occult, feng shui) a bottle that resembles the figure 8, used to store magical potions or rice alcohol


chứng giám

[t͡ɕɨŋ˧˦ zaːm˧˦]

[t͡ɕɨŋ˦˧˥ jaːm˦˧˥]

[cɨŋ˦˥ jaːm˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 證 (“to prove”) and 鑒 (“to inspect”).

Có trời/Chúa chứng giám.


điềm

điềm lành/tốt

điềm dữ/xấu


cầu sung vừa đủ xài

[kəw˨˩ sʊwŋ͡m˧˧ vɨə˨˩ ʔɗu˧˩ saːj˨˩]

[kəw˦˩ ʂʊwŋ͡m˧˧ vɨə˦˩ ʔɗʊw˧˨ saːj˦˩]

[kəw˦˩ sʊwŋ͡m˧˧ vɨə˦˩ ʔɗʊw˧˨ saːj˦˩]

[kəw˨˩ ʂʊwŋ͡m˧˧ vɨə˨˩ ʔɗʊw˨˩˦ saːj˨˩]

[kəw˨˩ sʊwŋ͡m˧˧ jɨə˨˩ ʔɗʊw˨˩˦ saːj˨˩]

Based on the words for five types of fruits: mãng cầu (“sugar apple”), sung (“fig”), dừa (“coconut”), đu đủ (“papaya”), xoài (“mango”)), with phono-semantic matching with sung (充) (as in sung túc) and xài (“to use, to spend”); roughly "having enough wealth for a comfortable life".

(Southern Vietnam, occult) to offer certain fruits during Tết as a way to wish for fortune


tận thế

[tən˧˨ʔ tʰe˧˦]

[təŋ˨˩ʔ tʰej˨˩˦]

[təŋ˨˩˨ tʰej˦˥]

Blend of tận cùng (“edge; end”) + thế giới (“world”). Compare tận số.

blend

ngày tận thế


niệm

niệm thần chú


tương khắc

[tɨəŋ˧˧ xak̚˧˦]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ kʰak̚˦˧˥]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ xak̚˦˧˥]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ kʰak̚˦˥]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ xak̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 相克, composed of 相 (“reciprocal”) and 克 (“to vanquish”).

vi-etym-sino

Meronyms: hoả khắc kim, kim khắc mộc, mộc khắc thổ, thổ khắc thuỷ, thuỷ khắc hoả

Coordinate term: tương sinh

(occult, divination) xiāngkè (the reciprocal subduing of the wuxing elements)


tương sinh

[tɨəŋ˧˧ sïŋ˧˧]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ ʂɨn˧˧]

[tɨəŋ˧˧ sɨn˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 相生, composed of 相 (“reciprocal”) and 生 (“to give birth to”).

Meronyms: hoả sinh thổ, kim sinh thuỷ, mộc sinh hoả, thổ sinh kim, thuỷ sinh mộc

Coordinate term: tương khắc

(occult, divination) xiāngshēng (the reciprocal sustaining of the wuxing elements)


hiến tế

[hiəŋ˦˧˥ tej˨˩˦]

(occult) to sacrifice as part of a religious ritual


thây ma

[tʰəj˧˧ maː˧˧]

[tʰəj˧˧ maː˧˧]

[tʰəj˧˧ maː˧˧]

thây (“corpse”) + ma (“ghost”).
Attested already in Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651), although apparently then meant merely "corpse" or "the dead"; later adopted to the concept of "zombie".


𡎝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 癸 (quý).

Han compound

𤾓(Trăm)𢆥(năm)𥪝(trong)𡎝(cõi)𠊚(người)些(ta)

1820, Nguyễn Du (阮攸), Truyện Kiều (傳翹) [The Tale of Kieu], published 1870, line 1:

A hundred years in the realm of humanity


cao tay ấn

[kaːw˧˧ taj˧˧ ʔən˧˦]

[kaːw˧˧ taj˧˧ ʔəŋ˦˧˥]

[kaːw˧˧ ta(ː)j˧˧ ʔəŋ˦˥]

Blend of cao tay (“competent, capable”) + tay ấn (“hand signs”).

blend

(occult, of a diviner or magician) skilled at magic


dương gian

[zɨəŋ˧˧ zaːn˧˧]

[jɨəŋ˧˧ jaːŋ˧˧]

[jɨəŋ˧˧ jaːŋ˧˧]

(occult and religion) the mortal world, the world of the living


nguyền rủa

[ŋwiən˨˩ zuə˧˩]

[ŋwiəŋ˦˩ ʐuə˧˨]

[ŋwiəŋ˨˩ ɹuə˨˩˦]


thần giao cách cảm

[tʰən˨˩ zaːw˧˧ kajk̟̚˧˦ kaːm˧˩]

[tʰəŋ˦˩ jaːw˧˧ kat̚˦˧˥ kaːm˧˨]

[tʰəŋ˨˩ jaːw˧˧ kat̚˦˥ kaːm˨˩˦]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 神交隔感. The whole phrase can roughly be translated as "sense of spiritual intersection [albeit physically] separated".
This compound can be further analyzed either as thần giao (神交) and cách cảm (隔感), or thần giao cách (神交隔) and cảm (感). Aside from cảm (in the irrelevant sense of "influenza"), none of these are in any common use in Vietnamese as free morphemes.


phù hộ

Sino-Vietnamese word from 扶 (“to help”) and 護 (“to protect”).

vi-etym-sino

phù hộ, độ trì

Cầu bà/Phật/Chúa phù hộ cho con.

I pray that my grandmother/Buddha/the Lord is watching over me.

(religion, occult, of a god or deceased relative) to watch over


tử vi

[tɨ˧˨ vɪj˧˧]

[tɨ˨˩˦ vɪj˧˧]

[tɨ˨˩˦ jɪj˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 紫微, shortened from Chinese 紫微斗數 (tử vi đẩu số).

(occult) a horoscope according to Taoist fortune-telling


thuỷ tề

[tʰ⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩˦ tej˨˩]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 水 (“water”) and 臍 (“navel”).

(mythology, occult) the underwater domain of a water deity, especially the Dragon King


cầu cơ

[kəw˨˩ kəː˧˧]

[kəw˦˩ kəː˧˧]

[kəw˨˩ kəː˧˧]

cầu (“to pray”) + cơ (“heart”), in reference to heart-shaped piece.