hương
[hɨəŋ˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Incense — the Northern word; Southerners say nhang.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Que đốt thơm để thắp cúng — từ miền Bắc; trong Nam nói nhang.
Noun
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Bắc · Northern Vietnam
Examples
thắp hươngto burn incense on an altar or at a grave
Bà thắp nén hương lên bàn thờ tổ tiên.Grandma lit a stick of incense at the ancestral altar.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Equivalents & related
Common questions
What does “hương” mean?
Incense — the Northern word; Southerners say nhang.
Is “hương” 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?
“nhang” (Tiếng Việt) — same meaning · other region.