Do you feel bored and want some energizer as you learn Vietnamese? Modern Vietnamese has its way of entertaining its learners with some of their odd yet meaningful terminologies. If you’re interested in learning these weird Vietnamese words, read further!
Vietnamese, the official language of Vietnam, has its roots in the Austroasiatic family of languages. While it has been heavily influenced by the Chinese throughout history, it has developed a unique character of its own. For those diving into the intricacies of the Vietnamese language for the first time, certain words can appear quite intriguing, if not outright weird.
However, before diving into this unique yet seemingly hard language, know that context and tone play a huge role in mastering their mother tongue. We won’t keep you waiting, let’s explore some of these unusual Vietnamese words and their meanings in this post!
A Guide to Weird Vietnamese Words
If Vietnamese slang words already impressed you, then these weird Vietnamese words might make your jaw hurt since they can give you a good laugh. Young people typically use these words and you may impress Vietnamese native speakers if you know them!
1. Laugh – Kwooy
What’s so weird about the word for a laugh? Well, when combined with other words, it can give them completely new meanings. For instance, “cười lớn” means “big laugh,” but “cười chảy nước mắt” literally translates to “laugh until water runs from eyes.”
2. Beef/ Cow – Boh
Have you ever had a conversation with someone in which you’re not sure if you’re talking about the same thing? Well, hearing Boh (Bò) may not be weird at first, but it means “Beef” or “Cow” in the Vietnamese language. So, considering its confusing Vietnamese equivalent, you have to remember that context is important when using this word!
3. Spider – Nyern
Imagine telling someone that in Vietnamese, a spider is essentially a “soft tickle.” The sound of the word somehow perfectly captures the sneaky, delicate movements of a spider. Moreover, Nyern (Nhện) also becomes a unique word because of its symbolism. It’s somehow associated with patience since these creatures are quite diligent workers when weaving their webs.
4. Eye – Maht
On its own, Mat (Mắt) means eye; and there’s nothing weird about it. However, if you’ll get a little playful with your words like young Vietnamese people, combining them with other words can make it weird but less boring. You see, “Mắt lưới” literally translates to “net eyes” and refers to sunglasses. The literal translation is quite odd, but it’s a fun way to use it!
5. Papaya – Zoo Zoo
Now, you might wonder; how does the word zoo zoo (Đu đủ) become something odd? It’s not completely uncanny, but the way how you say it is what makes it sound fun. Try verbalizing this phrase, you’ll notice that it mimics the rhythm of chopping tropical fruits! Did you give it a try?
6. Tomato – Ka Chwa
Not everyone enjoys this fruit (Cà chua) – seriously, it looks more like a vegetable! But aside from its oddly categorized state, did you know that the “Cà” in this word refers to “Eggplant” while “Chua” translates to “Sour.” Try putting those two words together, don’t you find “Sour Eggplant” a weird Vietnamese word?
7. Sky/God – Chroy
There are quite a handful of Vietnamese slang all over the internet, but here’s a phrase that you’d find both handy but also confusing. Chroy (Trời ơi) is simply the Vietnamese version of “Oh my God!” in English, but by just adding “Bầu” in front of it and removing “ơi,” it eventually translates to the sky. Folks, this is why context and pronunciation are important!
8. Rhythm/Style – Dyew
Some words aren’t outright weird but can be utterly confusing instead. Dyew (Điệu) is probably one of the many words that’ll trigger your wrinkles since it comes with two meanings; not to mention that adding a single syllable completely changes its definition. You see, this four-letter word may simply function as a noun that refers to rhythm, while it can also mean “Gait” or “Style.”
Additionally, if you add “đà” as a second word, its meaning becomes graceful or elegant. Can you notice how certain words can easily become a compliment for Vietnamese girls?
9. Kicked – Bee-Da
The long list of slang words goes on, but let’s not miss this two-syllable phrase: Bị đá (Bee Da). This slang phrase means “Being kicked by a stone.” It’s such a unique way to simply admit being dumped by someone. Well, making statements a bit fancier is popular nowadays— but would you ever use this term?
10. Coconut – Zoo-Uh
Vietnamese slang can either be giving or insulting. The young generation sure has exerted some effort for coming up with these terms. If you translate this word using Google, you’d get “Coconut,” nothing special, right? But did you know that you can use it to refer to someone naive or gullible, someone Dừa?
Want To Learn More About The Vietnamese Culture? Get Ling Today!
Many Vietnamese natives may not find these words as something “weird,” but how could they be when most of them are used in daily conversation? This journey showed you that the Vietnamese language is filled with intriguing words that are not only fun to pronounce but also offer a deep dive into the culture and thought processes of locals. If you want to connect more with them and master their language, try using Ling in your language-learning expedition!
With the app, learning is like going along the calm current of the Mekong River thanks to its well-organized lessons. You may even take challenges with interactive games and quizzes to test yourself. While if you want to discover other languages, worry not, it offers more than 60 languages which you’ll definitely enjoy. Tempted to try it? Download Ling today for FREE on Play Store and App Store!
