tà ma
[taː˨˩ maː˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(noun) bad ghost
Noun
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Cậu nắm chặt ngón tay cái để đuổi tà ma, theo kinh nghiệm của dân làng Bến Tranh truyền cho cậu trong những buổi tối đội rổ bánh ít đi bán, xuyên qua cánh đồng cũng lập lòe cánh ma trơi như đêm nay.He firmly took hold of his thumb to chase away bad ghosts, according to the lore the people of Bến Tranh had taught him when he went around with his basket on his head selling bánh ít late in the evening, along fields alight with will o' the wisps like tonight.
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 “tà ma” mean?
(noun) bad ghost
Is “tà ma” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.