ế
[ʔe˧˦]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(adjective) unmarketable; unsalable; unable to find customers; sluggish
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(adjective) past the usual age for marriage but still unmarried or single; on the shelf
Register: informal
Examples
ế chồng(of a woman) to be on the shelf
2017 Dec, Bạn muốn hẹn hò (Tập 338)
cũng có thể đó là lý do mà em ế tới giờ
Maybe that's the reason I'm still single
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common questions
What does “ế” mean?
(adjective) unmarketable; unsalable; unable to find customers; sluggish
Is “ế” formal or informal?
ế is generally informal.