không khí
[xəwŋ͡m˧˧ xi˧˦]
The English word "air" is translated into Vietnamese as không khí.
không khí is used to refer to the mixture of gases making up the Earth's atmosphere. If you wish to specify "fresh air", you can use the phrase không khí trong lành by adding the adjective trong lành after the noun.
Meaning: mixture of gases making up the atmosphere of the Earth (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term không khí is composed of không (meaning empty or nothing) and khí (meaning gas, vapor or air).
Which one should you use?
While không khí refers specifically to the atmosphere, the word khí alone can be used to refer to any gas or vapor in a general or scientific context.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese, the term không khí can describe not just the physical atmosphere but also the 'vibe' or 'ambiance' of a social setting.
- While không khí refers to the air we breathe, the shorter word khí is used in Vietnamese to describe the vital energy or 'spirit' in traditional philosophy.
- The word không serves a triple duty in Vietnamese as a word for 'empty', the number 'zero' and a grammatical negator.
Examples in context
- Tôi đã đi dạo để có chút không khí.I went for a walk to get some air.This sentence shows how to use không khí when talking about getting some air.Tatoeba #11378866 by chaule3, translation #180285 by gabesilk
- Không có không khí chúng ta sẽ chết.Without air, we would die.This sentence demonstrates the necessity of không khí for survival.Tatoeba #1591257 by trieuho, translation #1590992 by CM
- Không gì tốt bằng không khí trong lành.There is nothing like fresh air.This sentence illustrates the phrase for using không khí in the context of fresh air.Tatoeba #6243147 by moriole, translation #269330 by CM
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hương and Minh are talking about the pollution in the city.
- HươngỞ đây không khí ô nhiễm quá.The air here is too polluted.
- MinhĐúng vậy, tôi thấy khó thở quá.That's true, I find it hard to breathe.
- HươngChúng ta nên tìm nơi có không khí sạch hơn.We should find a place with cleaner air.
- MinhTôi đồng ý, hãy đi ra công viên đi.I agree, let's go to the park.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “air” translations and entries không khí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries khí, không, không khí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
