khổ qua
[xo˧˩ kwaː˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Bitter melon — the Southern word; Northerners say mướp đắng.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Quả vị đắng nấu canh — từ miền Nam; ngoài Bắc nói mướp đắng.
Noun
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
Examples
khổ qua nhồi thịtbitter melon stuffed with meat
Tết nào má cũng nấu canh khổ qua cho qua cái khổ.Every Tết Mom cooks bitter-melon soup so hardship passes with it.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Equivalents & related
Common questions
What does “khổ qua” mean?
Bitter melon — the Southern word; Northerners say mướp đắng.
Is “khổ qua” 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?
“mướp đắng” (Tiếng Việt) — same meaning · other region.