quê
[kwe˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Embarrassed, losing face (quê độ) — Southern colloquial; ngượng in the North. Nationwide, quê also means hometown or countryside.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Mắc cỡ, ê mặt (quê độ) — khẩu ngữ miền Nam; ngoài Bắc nói ngượng. Nghĩa cả nước của "quê" là quê hương, nông thôn.
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
Examples
Tết này có về quê không?Will you go back to your hometown this New Year?
Bị bắt bài trước đám đông, nó quê muốn độn thổ.Called out in front of everyone, he was so embarrassed he wanted to sink into the ground.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Equivalents & related
Common questions
What does “quê” mean?
Embarrassed, losing face (quê độ) — Southern colloquial; ngượng in the North. Nationwide, quê also means hometown or countryside.
Is “quê” 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?
“ngượng” (Tiếng Việt) — same meaning · other region.