[ʔɨ˧˦]

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

(verb) to be stagnant

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

(adverb) negator of verbs

Examples

Ứ chịu đâu.No way!

Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sense 3

Meaning · English

(interjection) nuh-uh

Examples

—Mai anh về quê thay em nhé! —Ứ, mai anh bận việc rồi."Tomorrow, return home instead of me, OK?" "Nuh-uh, I'm already busy with work tomorrow."

Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Common questions

What does “ứ” mean?

(verb) to be stagnant

Is “ứ” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.