bóng rổ
[ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦ zo˧˩]
In Vietnamese, the English word "basketball" is bóng rổ.
bóng rổ refers to the sport of basketball. While the word bóng can refer generally to any spherical sports ball, such as a football or volleyball, adding rổ specifies the sport.
Meaning: the sport (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a compound of bóng, meaning "ball" and rổ, meaning "basket".
Which one should you use?
While bóng means ball, bóng rổ specifically means basketball, whereas bóng đá refers to soccer (literally "kicking ball").
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to basketball as a specific subject or sport in a formal sentence, it is common to prefix the phrase with môn to create môn bóng rổ, which means "the sport of basketball".
Did you know?
- The word bóng is also used in the term đồng bóng, which historically referred to a 'shamaness' or 'seeress'. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'mystical spirit' to describing someone who is eccentric or even a 'homosexual'.
- In Vietnamese, the same word bóng can mean 'ball' or 'shadow'.
- The root word for ball, bóng, may originally have been derived from a word meaning 'bladder'. This makes sense linguistically as a bladder is a natural spherical object.
Examples in context
- Nó lùn nhưng rất giỏi môn bóng rổ.He is short, but good at basketball.This sentence uses bóng rổ to describe someone's skill in the sport.Tatoeba #1568154 by trieuho, translation #302417 by CK
- Tôi chơi bóng rổ, bóng đá và bóng bầu dục.I play basketball, soccer and american football.This sentence lists bóng rổ alongside other sports one might play.Tatoeba #13897657 by leucammieuvu, translation #13897368 by kylewii
- Bóng đá và bóng rổ là những môn thể thao phổ biến.Soccer and basketball are popular sports.This sentence uses bóng rổ to discuss the popularity of certain sports.Tatoeba #11352181 by chaule3, translation #11352179 by chaule3
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hùng and Hương are talking about their weekend plans at a park.
- HùngHương ơi, chiều nay đi chơi bóng rổ không?Huong, do you want to play basketball this afternoon?
- HươngEm không giỏi bóng rổ lắm đâu.I am not very good at basketball.
- HùngKhông sao, anh sẽ chơi cùng em.It's okay, I will play with you.
- HươngVậy thì được, hẹn anh nhé!In that case, see you then!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basketball” translations and entries bóng rổ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bóng, bóng rổ, rổ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
