(màu) xanh
[maw˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧]word by word
The English word blue is translated into Vietnamese as (màu) xanh. Wiktionary also lists xanh lam and màu xanh nước biển.
Meaning: blue-coloured (adj)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| (màu) xanh | [maw˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| xanh lam | [sajŋ̟˧˧ laːm˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [sɛɲ˧˧ laːm˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| màu xanh nước biển | [maw˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧ nɨək̚˧˦ ʔɓiən˧˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
The term xanh can function as both an adjective and a noun. Because xanh can refer to both blue and green, context or additional words are needed to distinguish them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase xanh nước biển literally means 'sea water blue'.
Which one should you use?
Because xanh can mean either blue or green, you should use more specific terms to avoid confusion. Use xanh lam to specifically denote the color blue. To specifically denote the color green, use xanh lá, which literally means 'green leaf'. For shades of blue, you can use màu xanh nhạt for light blue and màu xanh đậm for dark blue.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the word màu (color) before xanh helps clarify that you are referring to the color itself.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese, referring to a person as xanh often suggests they look pale, sick, or frightened rather than actually being the color blue.
- In the phrase xanh nước biển, the word nước means both 'water' and 'country'. This single word is used for both the liquid in the sea and the political entity of a nation.
- The word xanh is a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese character 青, which also represents a color that is both blue and green.
Examples in context
- Tôi muốn mua một chiếc áo màu xanh.I want to buy a blue shirt.
Example conversation
Mai and Nam are looking at clothes in a store.
- MaiNam, anh thấy cái váy này thế nào?Nam, what do you think of this dress?
- NamAnh nghĩ màu (màu) xanh hợp với em hơn.I think blue suits you better.
- MaiVậy em sẽ lấy cái (màu) xanh.Then I will take the blue one.
- NamLựa chọn đó rất tuyệt.That is a great choice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blue” translations and entries xanh lam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (màu, xanh, nước, biển) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries biển, lam, màu, nước, xanh, xanh lam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
