ông bà
[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɓaː˨˩]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Register: informal
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
(noun) ancestor
Register: informal
Sense 3
Meaning · English
(noun) ladies and gentlemen
Register: informal
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
ladies and gentlemen
a polite way to address a mixed audience
English
Near equivalent
chư vị
(noun) ladies and gentlemen; everyone in the audience
Tiếng Việt · via ladies and gentlemen
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 “ông bà” mean?
(noun) grandparents
Is “ông bà” formal or informal?
ông bà is generally informal.
What is the closest equivalent?
“ladies and gentlemen” (English) — near equivalent.