năm thì mười hoạ
[nam˧˧ tʰi˨˩ mɨəj˨˩ hwaː˧˨ʔ]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(adverb) very rarely, once in a blue moon
Adverb
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Ba tôi đi công tác xa, năm thì mười họa về nhà một bữa.My father travels far for work; once in a blue moon he returns home for a couple of hours.
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
Near equivalent
once in a blue moon
Very rarely; almost never.
English
Near equivalent
thiên tải nhất thì
once in a blue moon; once in a thousand years
Tiếng Việt · via once in a blue moon
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “năm thì mười hoạ” mean?
(adverb) very rarely, once in a blue moon
Is “năm thì mười hoạ” 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?
“once in a blue moon” (English) — near equivalent.