khuynh gia bại sản
to lose all of one’s assets, wealth, and housing; to go pear-shaped
Tiếng Việt · Hà Nội & the North 1924
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 the North — distinctly Northern usage first, then nationwide staples.
khác máu tanh lòng
Different blood breeds fishy hearts.
khát nước
(noun) chestnut-winged cuckoo (Clamator coromandus)
khôn ba năm, dại một giờ
Even smart people can have a momentary lapse in judgement. / Even Homer sometimes nods.
khôn nhà dại chợ
clever at home but foolish out on the street; a smart aleck among family but timid among strangers
không biết thì dựa cột mà nghe
If you don't know something listen.
không có bông tuyết nào trong sạch
no one is an angel; no one is perfect; no one is above reproach
không có gì
You’re welcome. / No problem.
không có lửa làm sao có khói
without fire, how is there smoke?
không có lửa sao có khói
"There is no effect without some cause." or "It is supposed that if there is a rumour, there must be some truth behind it.".
không thầy đố mày làm nên
without a teacher, I dare you to do or make anything of note
không vào hang cọp sao bắt được cọp con
Can't catch a tiger without going into its cave.
khắc cốt ghi tâm
stamped or etched in one's memory; unforgettable
khắc cốt minh tâm
stamped or etched in one's memory; unforgettable
kinh thiên động địa
world-shaking; earthshattering
kiên nhẫn là mẹ thành công
patience is mother of success.
Kiêu ngạo đi trước, bại hoại theo sau. (Kinh Thánh)
Pride comes before the fall. (the Bible) Mr. B.
klq
Texting shortcut for “không liên quan” — unrelated / off-topic (the polite cough before changing the subject).
kính lão đắc thọ
if you respect the elderly, you'll extend your lifespan
kính nhi viễn chi
to respect yet keep one's distance; to respectfully distance oneself
kẻ tám lạng, người nửa cân
Six of one, half a dozen of the other — two rivals so evenly matched there is nothing to choose between them. The scales are rigged into a draw: in the old sixteen-lạng system, tám lạng (eight lạng) IS exactly nửa cân (half a cân).
kẻ đắp chăn bông kẻ lạnh lùng
some have it all while others have nothing
kỹ thuật viên vật lý trị liệu
physiotherapist
L/L
initialism of liên lạc (“to contact”)
lemỏn
Stuck-up, “extra” — chảnh spelled as citrus: lemon + a Vietnamese hook mark, because chảnh sounds like chanh (lemon).
liễu yếu đào tơ
a young, gentle, and fragile woman
liệu cơm gắp mắm
to be mindful of one's surroundings and circumstances to choose the right options
lo bò trắng răng
to needlessly worry
long trời lở đất
world-shaking; earthshattering
luật hoa quả
The “law of fruit-ma” — karma, respelled: nhân (cause/karma) also means “kernel”, so the internet swapped in fruit.
luật vua thua lệ làng
In practice, local custom outweighs distant formal authority — the village’s rules beat the king’s law.
làm bộ làm tịch
to feign; to pretend
làm công ăn lương
to work and earn, to be a salaryman
làm thủ tục trực tuyến
to check in online
làm trâu làm ngựa
to work diligently and submissively
làm ơn mắc oán
benefactors often get hatred from beneficiaries; no good deed goes unpunished
lá lành đùm lá rách
the strong protect the weak
lên voi xuống chó
to have ups and downs in one's life; to go from rags to riches and/or riches to rags; to move up and down the socioeconomic ladder
lương y như từ mẫu
a good physician is like a loving and caring mother
lười chảy thây
extremely lazy, as if one's body were about to rot, with no life signals
lưỡng bại câu thương
both sides loses
lạ gì
whatever being discussed about is not strange or unfamiliar; I'm not unfamiliar with the fact that; everyone knows that
lạt mềm buộc chặt
apply gentle affection to strengthen a bond; don't be overbearing; you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (especially romantically)
lấy dạ tiểu nhân đo lòng quân tử
to be cynical; to be skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others; to psychologically project
lấy trứng chọi đá
to overestimate one's capabilities; to attack a stronger opponent as the weaker side which is sure to end in failure
lấy độc trị độc
to treat poison with poison
lắm mối tối nằm không
If you run after two hares, you'll catch none.
lắm thầy thối ma
Taking advice from too many people ruins the outcome — conflicting guidance confuses everything.
lặn mất tăm
To vanish without a trace — go silent, ghost everyone, disappear from the group chat.
lọt vào mắt xanh
to strike someone's fancy
lộng giả thành chân
fantasy becomes reality
lời chào cao hơn mâm cỗ
always be courteous in any situation
lời nói không đi đôi với việc làm
The person referred to in the proverb is a hypocrite; he says one thing but does another.
lời nói là bạc, im lặng là vàng
Speech is silver, silence is gold.
lời ong tiếng ve
unfounded rumours and malicious gossip
lửa gần rơm lâu ngày cũng bén
Two people kept close together will eventually develop feelings — proximity kindles attraction.
lửa thử vàng, gian nan thử sức
fire tests gold, hardship tests strength
lực bất tòng tâm
So much to do, so little done.
ma ăn cỗ
any act carried out so clandestinely and secretly that all traces are erased, especially illicit affairs
mai đẹt ti ni
“My destiny” — fated love, pronounced the way a Thai drama made famous.
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