khốn nạn
[xon˧˦ naːn˧˨ʔ]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(adjective) base; vile; villainous; despicable; contemptible
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) difficult; hard; tough
Sense 3
Meaning · English
(adjective) miserable; distressful
Examples
Cái thân tôi sao mà khốn nạn quá giời ơi!Good heavens, woe is [to] me! (literally, “Why am I so miserable, o heaven?”)
Những kẻ khốn nạnLes Misérables
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common questions
What does “khốn nạn” mean?
(adjective) base; vile; villainous; despicable; contemptible
Is “khốn nạn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.