giập giờn

[zəp̚˧˨ʔ zəːn˨˩]

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

Meaning · English

(verb) to bob in and out of sight

Verb

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

Examples

Anh đứng dậy, lảng ra hố bom, ngồi nhìn trân trân mấy mảng rong xanh giập giờn trong lòng nước.He got up, sneaked away to the bomb crater, and sat down to unmovingly look at the patches of green algae bobbing in and out of sight in the water.

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

Common questions

What does “giập giờn” mean?

(verb) to bob in and out of sight

Is “giập giờn” formal or informal?

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

What is the closest equivalent?

“out of sight” (English) — near equivalent.