bục mặt
[ʔɓʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ mat̚˧˨ʔ]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(verb) to work one's fingers to the bone
VerbRegister: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Phải bục mặt ra mà làm ăn mới đủ sống chứ bộ.I have to work my fingers to the bone to even make a decent living.
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 ↗
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
work one's fingers to the bone
to work extremely hard
English
Near equivalent
chân lấm tay bùn
(verb) to toil bitterly; to labor arduously; to work one's fingers to the bone; to break one's back; to keep one's nose to the grindstone
Tiếng Việt · via work one's fingers to the bone
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “bục mặt” mean?
(verb) to work one's fingers to the bone
Is “bục mặt” formal or informal?
bục mặt is generally informal.
What is the closest equivalent?
“work one's fingers to the bone” (English) — near equivalent.