quang minh chính đại
high-principled; open and aboveboard; just and honorable; frank and righteous; without artifice
Tiếng Việt · Huế / Đà Nẵng & the Center 1891
All languages English Tiếng Việt
Where will you be? Anywhere Hà Nội & the NorthHuế / Đà Nẵng & the CenterSài Gòn & the SouthOnline slang Bắc ↔ Nam words
Sayings you’ll hear in Central Vietnam — distinctly Central usage first, then nationwide staples.
quay đầu là bờ
it is never too late to stop generating negative karma (tạo nghiệp) and start seeking enlightenment instead
quá tam ba bận
after three attempts, the chance of the success decreases greatly
quá tắc vật đạn cải
When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.
quân bất hí ngôn
A monarch should not say anything in jest
quân ta bắn quân mình
friendly fire
quân ta đánh thắng quân mình
friendly fire
quân tử bất khí
a gentleman is no tool
quân tử nhất ngôn
I give you my word; you have my word
quân tử trả thù, mười năm chưa muộn
revenge is a dish best served cold
quân vô hí ngôn
A monarch should not say anything in jest
quýt làm cam chịu
having to bear the blame for something one did not do
quỷ tha ma bắt
goddamn; curse; screw
ra môn ra khoai
to do something with clear results
ruột để ngoài da
wearing one's heart on one's sleeve
rào trước đón sau
to cleverly point out something infelicitous in advance so that the listener will be understanding when it occurs and find it difficult to fault the speaker; to be careful with one's words; to be on the defensive
râu ông nọ cắm cằm bà kia
a square peg in a round hole
rượu mời không uống, muốn uống rượu phạt
to be forced to do something after initially turning down a request to do that thing
rảnh rỗi sinh nông nổi
if people have nothing better to do, they'll do stupid or harmful things
rồng bay phụng múa
lively and vigorous
rồng đến nhà tôm
someone of high status has paid a visit to someone of low status
rỗng như đít Bụt
completely empty
rừng vàng biển bạc
golden forests and silver seas
sa cơ lỡ vận
to fall into misfortune, especially with one's loss of asset
sinh nghề tử nghiêp
Close to the English saying: “Live by the sword, die by the sword. (the Bible)Mr. B.”.
sinh nhật bạn ngày nào?
When is your birthday?
sinh nhật vui vẻ
happy birthday
sinh sự, sự sinh
Close to the English saying: “Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.”.
sml
Vulgar “get wrecked / worked to the bone” — initialism of “sấp mặt l*”: face-down exhausted or utterly defeated.
sn
Texting shortcut for “sinh nhật” — birthday. “cmsn” = chúc mừng sinh nhật (happy birthday).
stt
Texting shortcut for “status” — a social-media post. “lên stt” = to post about it.
suy bụng ta ra bụng người
to project (to assume qualities or mindsets in others based on one's own)
suy ra
which implies that; which means that; it follows that; ⇒
sít rịt
Uncannily lucky or unlucky — a “secret”-tier coincidence (from English “secret”).
sôi máu
blood-boiling
sơn hào hải vị
choice viands; choice delicacies; luxury gourmet food
số là
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see số, là.
tai qua nạn khỏi
to get out of danger; to get away unscathed
tai to mặt lớn
having power or influence in society; powerful; influential
tai vách mạch dừng
walls have ears
tai vách, mạch rừng
"What you say may be overheard; used as a warning.".
tao khang
A wife who stayed with her partner since the beginning through thick and thin
tay làm hàm nhai
Close to the English saying: “He that does not work shall not eat.”.
TCN
initialism of trước Công Nguyên (“before the Common Era”)
tham gia lớp thể dục
to take a fitness class
tham sinh uý tử
to value one's life so much to the point of being cowardly
tham thì thâm
Close to the English saying: “Grasp all, lose all.”.
thay lòng đổi dạ
to have a change of heart, especially toward unfaithfulness
thay trời hành đạo
to enforce the (moral) Way on behalf of Heaven, to take the law into one's own hands
thi đỗ hoặc thi trượt
to pass or fail an exam
thiên hình vạn trạng
multiform; manifold; protean
thiên la địa võng
inescapable net
thiên mưu bách kế
by hook or by crook; by every possible means
thiên phương bách kế
by hook or by crook; by every possible means
thiên thượng thiên hạ, bác ái công bình
Divine Covenant of the Cao Dai religion (rendered into English as 'God and Humanity [for] Love and Justice.')
thiên tải nhất thì
once in a blue moon; once in a thousand years
thiếu trước hụt sau
full of hardship
thiệp chúc mừng năm mới
New Year’s card
thuyền theo lái, gái theo chồng
boats follow their rower, women follow their husbands
thuận buồm xuôi gió
the sail gets smoothly carried away by the wind