ầu ơ

[ʔəw˨˩ ʔəː˧˧]

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

(interjection) Placed at the beginning of a stanza in lullabies

Interjection

Where it’s used: Used Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora

Examples

Ầu ơ ví dầu cầu ván đóng đinh....Sleep tight my child, if there's a wooden plank bridge held together merely by nails...

Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sources & notes

Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗

Common questions

What does “ầu ơ” mean?

(interjection) Placed at the beginning of a stanza in lullabies

Is “ầu ơ” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.