kén cá chọn canh
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Picky with the fish, choosy with the soup — fastidiousness auditioning every option.
Literally: select the fish, choose the broth
Examples
Kén cá chọn canh mãi chưa lấy chồng.Still picking fish and choosing soup — still unmarried.
Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)
Sources & notes
Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “kén cá chọn canh” mean?
Picky with the fish, choosy with the soup — fastidiousness auditioning every option. Literally: select the fish, choose the broth
Is “kén cá chọn canh” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.