trời ơi
[t͡ɕəːj˨˩ ʔəːj˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(interjection) good heavens; good God; good Lord; oh my God
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Tống Giang nghe nói níu lấy hai người công sai mà kêu rằng: "Khổ lắm trời ơi! Thực là phúc bất trùng lai, họa vô đơn chí!"Upon hearing that, Song Jiang clutched the two guards tightly and wailed: "Good heavens, woe is me! Truly, blessings never come in pair; disasters never come singly!"
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 ↗
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(interjection) for God's sake
Common questions
What does “trời ơi” mean?
(interjection) good heavens; good God; good Lord; oh my God
Is “trời ơi” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.