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Tiếng Việt · Hà Nội & the North 1892
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.
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.
mang con bỏ chợ
synonym of đem con bỏ chợ
minh tâm khắc cốt
engraved in one's heart and carved on one's bones
miếng trầu là đầu câu chuyện
paan is a conversation starter
miệng hùm, gan sứa
If you cannot bite, never show your teeth.
miệng ăn núi lở
to spend one's money without generating any income; to fritter away a great fortune
mlem mlem
Yum — for delicious food or a delicious-looking someone; “kiwi kiwi” is the fruitier sequel.
ms
Texting shortcut for “mới” — just / new. “ms về” = just got home.
muối bỏ biển
a drop in the bucket
muốn ăn thì lăn vào bếp
if you are hungry, then you ought to cook for yourself, not waiting for others
muộn còn hơn không
Better late than never.
màn trời chiếu đất
a situation where many people become homeless, especially after a disaster
máy bay không người lái
drone; unmanned aircraft
máy bán vé đỗ xe
parking ticket machine
máy đo nồng độ cồn
breathalyzer
mãi mận
Forever wonderful; unbreakably tight — mận puns on mặn mà (charming), keo means glue-tight.
mèo già hoá cáo
the older someone is, the more cunning they become
mèo khen mèo dài đuôi
cats who boast of their own long tails
mèo mù vớ cá rán
To get lucky far beyond one’s ability or effort — undeserved windfall.
mèo mả gà đồng
vagabond; hobo
méo mó có hơn không
Close to the English saying: “Half a loaf is better than no bread.”.
Mình khỏe lắm, cảm ơn. Còn bạn?
I’m very well, thanks. And you?
mò kim đáy bể
to look for a needle in a haystack; literally "to blindly look for a needle at the bottom of the ocean"
mò trăng đáy nước
to make a hopeless, futile or vain effort at doing something; to ask for the moon
món đặc biệt trong ngày
daily specials
mô Phật
(phrase) clipping of Nam mô A Di Đà Phật
môi giới bất động sản
real estate agent
môi giới cho thuê nhà
letting agent
môn đăng hộ đối
to be well-matched in terms of socio-economic status (for purposes of marriage); to have similar family backgrounds
múa rìu qua mắt thợ
To show off a skill in front of a true master of that skill — foolish, presumptuous display.
mưu sự tại nhân, thành sự tại thiên
Things seldom turn out as you have planned.
mười điểm không có nhưng
A perfect ten, no “buts” — flawless, full marks.
mượn gió bẻ măng
to fish in troubled waters
mạt cưa mướp đắng
deceiver, swindler, fraudster, scammer