xà bần
[saː˨˩ ʔɓən˨˩]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(noun) debris, rubble (of a structure after demolition)
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Trung · Central Vietnam
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
• Wiktionary labels this sense “Central” • Wiktionary labels this sense “Southern”
Examples
Nhưng trước nhà vẫn còn ngổn ngang những xà bần, gạch ngói cũ và con đường chưa mở rộng nên còn những vũng nước lầy lội vì mưa ngày hôm qua.But in front of the house, there are still scattered rubble, old bricks and tiles, and the road has not yet been widened, so there are still muddy puddles from yesterday's rain.
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
(noun) kind of potpourri dish prepared from leftover food
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
• Wiktionary labels this sense “Southern”
Common questions
What does “xà bần” mean?
(noun) debris, rubble (of a structure after demolition)
Is “xà bần” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.