xà bông
[saː˨˩ ʔɓəwŋ͡m˧˧]
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(noun) soap
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
• Wiktionary labels this sense “Southern”
Examples
Dạ cô, cho con xin chút xà bông.
Omo hay Tide?
Dạ hông, xà bông á cô. À, ý con là xà bông tắm !I'd like some soap.
You want Omo or Tide?
No, please get me some soap. Oh, I meant soap as in "bathing soap"!
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) laundry detergent; washing powder
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
• Wiktionary labels this sense “Southern”
Common questions
What does “xà bông” mean?
(noun) soap
Is “xà bông” formal or informal?
xà bông is generally informal.