đi ngoài

[ʔɗi˧˧ ŋwaːj˨˩]

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

Meaning · English

To go number two — the Northern word; Southerners say đi cầu.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Đi đại tiện — từ miền Bắc; trong Nam nói đi cầu.

VerbRegister: informal

Where it’s used: Used Miền Bắc · Northern Vietnam

Examples

đi ngoài ra nướcto go to the bathroom and pass loose stools, i.e. to have diarrhoea [Note: this may be a pun on đi ra nước ngoài (“to go abroad”)]
Ăn đồ lạ nên nó đi ngoài cả đêm.Something he ate had him running to the toilet all night.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31)

Equivalents & related

Common questions

What does “đi ngoài” mean?

To go number two — the Northern word; Southerners say đi cầu.

Is “đi ngoài” formal or informal?

đi ngoài is generally informal.

What is the closest equivalent?

“đi cầu” (Tiếng Việt) — same meaning · other region.