cô
[ko˧˧]
In Vietnamese, the English phrase aunt is translated as cô or dì.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| cô | [ko˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kow˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| dì | [zi˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [jɪj˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
Both terms are used to identify a parent's sister or sister-in-law, but they distinguish between the sides of the family. Additionally, cô is a polite way to address a young woman or a woman who is of a similar age to one's mother in social settings.
Which one should you use?
The term cô refers specifically to a paternal aunt, which is the sister of one's father. In contrast, dì refers specifically to a maternal aunt, which is the sister of one's mother.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many southern dialects, dì is used more broadly to refer to various female relatives on the mother's side, though it remains specific to the maternal line in formal address.
Did you know?
- While cô and dì identify aunts, Vietnamese has dozens of different terms for 'aunt' depending on whether the relative is older or younger than the parent.
- The word cô is also the common shorthand for cô giáo, which means 'female teacher'.
- The word cô shares a linguistic root with the word for 'lonesome' or 'orphan' in Sino-Vietnamese.
Examples in context
- Em gái của mẹ tôi là dì tôi.My mother's sister is my aunt.This sentence is useful for identifying a maternal aunt using dì.Tatoeba #9081272 by dotheduyet1999, translation #4144652 by AlbertaJ
- Chú tôi gầy nhưng dì tôi lại béo.My uncle is thin, but my aunt is fat.This sentence is useful for contrasting an uncle and a maternal aunt using dì.Tatoeba #10257757 by hothuyhien, translation #1327475 by CK
- Dì đã gửi cho tôi một món quà sinh nhật.My aunt sent me a birthday present.This sentence is useful for seeing dì used as a title when referring to an aunt.Tatoeba #4786305 by tucm, translation #64932 by CK
- Bác có khỏe không?How are you, Aunt?
- Cô à, tôi nhớ cô lắm!Aunt, I miss you so much!
- Cô ơi, tôi có thể hỏi một câu hỏi không?Aunt, can I ask a question?
- Chúc dì ngủ ngon!Goodnight, Aunt!
- Mợ ơi, em có thể giúp mợ được không?Aunt, can I help you?
- Mợ đã nấu ăn ngon quá!Aunt, you cooked delicious food!
Example conversation
Mai and Nam are looking at an old family photo.
- MaiCô này là ai vậy Nam?Who is this aunt, Nam?
- NamĐó là cô của tôi.That is my aunt.
- MaiCô ấy trông thật xinh đẹp.She looks very beautiful.
- NamVâng, cô ấy rất hiền.Yes, she is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries cô, dì, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cô, dì, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
