sài lang
[saːj˨˩ laːŋ˧˧]
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
(noun) dhole and wolf; (figuratively) cruel, evil person
NounRegister: formal
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
c. 300 BCE, Mencius; Vietnamese translation by Nguyễn Hiến Lê
Chị dâu sắp chết đuối mà mình không đưa tay ra cứu vớt thì quả là loài sài lang rồi.When [a man]'s sister-in-law is about to drown yet he himself does not stretch out his hand to save her, he is indeed a dhole and a wolf.
1945, Nguyễn Đình Thi, "Diệt phát xít (Destroy the Fascists)", performance by the Voice of Vietnam's Choir
Việt Nam bao năm ròng rên xiết lầm than,
Dưới ách quân tham tàn đế quốc sài lang.
Vietnam has been groaning in suffering and misery for countess years straightUnder the greedy, cruel, imperialist dholes and wolves’ yoke.
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 ↗
Common questions
What does “sài lang” mean?
(noun) dhole and wolf; (figuratively) cruel, evil person
Is “sài lang” formal or informal?
sài lang is generally formal.