đầu tắt mặt tối
[ʔɗəw˨˩ tat̚˧˦ mat̚˧˨ʔ toj˧˦]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: đầu tắt mắt tối
Meaning · English
(adjective) so busy as to leave no time for rest at all
Adjective
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
[…] phải chịu sưu thuế và việc vua việc quan, đầu tắt mặt tối, không có quyền lợi gì.[…] they have to pay taxes and serve king and officials, toil without rest, and have no rights at all.
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 “đầu tắt mặt tối” mean?
(adjective) so busy as to leave no time for rest at all
Is “đầu tắt mặt tối” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.