ăn chay
[ʔan˧˧ t͡ɕaj˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(verb) to practice vegetarianism; to be a vegetarian
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Tôi ăn chay nên không dùng nước mắm.I’m vegetarian, so I don’t use fish sauce.
Editorial example (contributed-collins-enriched)
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗ Local usage: The phrase can describe either a diet or the act of eating vegetarian food. [contributed-collins-enriched]
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(verb) to abstain from meat and the five pungent spices for religious reasons
Common questions
What does “ăn chay” mean?
(verb) to practice vegetarianism; to be a vegetarian
Is “ăn chay” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.