xấu chữ mà lành nghĩa
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Poor script, sound meaning — homely outside, worthy within.
Literally: ugly letters but wholesome sense
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “xấu chữ mà lành nghĩa” mean?
Poor script, sound meaning — homely outside, worthy within. Literally: ugly letters but wholesome sense
Is “xấu chữ mà lành nghĩa” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.