đậu
[ʔɗəw˧˨ʔ]
The English word "bean" is translated into Vietnamese as đậu.
The word đậu refers to the seed of a Fabaceae plant.
Meaning: seed of a Fabaceae plant (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southern part of Vietnam, people commonly use the term đậu xanh to refer to mung beans or green beans.
Did you know?
- The word đậu is a homonym that can also mean 'to pass an exam' or 'to be successful' in a competitive sense.
- Depending on the context, the word đậu can transform from a noun meaning 'bean' into a verb meaning 'to land' or 'to park', such as when a bird lands on a branch.
- Because đậu can also come from the Sino-Vietnamese word for 'pimple' or 'acne', some Vietnamese speakers might use the same sound when discussing skin conditions.
Examples in context
- Xin chào! Bạn có bán đậu không?Hello! Do you sell beans?
- Có chứ! Bạn muốn mua đậu gì?Yes, we do! What kind of beans do you want to buy?
- Bạn có thể thử ăn đậu xanh nữa đấy!You should also try eating mung beans!
- đậu xanhMung bean
- Tôi thích ăn đậu xanh.I like eating mung beans.
- Bạn có muốn thêm đậu vào salad không?Do you want to add beans to the salad?
- Mẹ tôi đang nấu canh đậu.My mother is cooking bean soup.
Example conversation
Nam and Mai are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- NamTrưa nay ăn gì nhỉ?What should we eat for lunch today?
- MaiĂn cơm với đậu phụ nhé?How about eating rice with tofu?
- NamÝ hay đó, Mai.That is a good idea, Mai.
- MaiĐể mình đi mua đậu nhé.Let me go buy some beans/tofu.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bean” translations and entries đậu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
