tệ
[te˧˨ʔ]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(adjective) bad (at doing something)
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) short for tệ nạn
Examples
- Tệ tham ô ăn cắp trong ban quản trị có là nguyên nhân chính khiến bà con làm được miếng nào bị ăn hết miếng ấy?
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sense 3
Meaning · English
(noun) short for nhân dân tệ (“renminbi (currency of China)”)
Common questions
What does “tệ” mean?
(adjective) bad (at doing something)
Is “tệ” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.