bọ
[ʔɓɔ˧˨ʔ]
In Vietnamese, the English phrase "bug" is translated as bọ.
The word bọ is a colloquial name used to refer to various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures.
Meaning: a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bọ is used for common bugs, the term côn trùng is used when you want to refer to insects in a more technical or scientific sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural speech, the noun is almost always preceded by the classifier con to form con bọ (the bug). To indicate multiple bugs, you add the word những before the classifier, resulting in những con bọ (the bugs).
Did you know?
- The word bọ is linked to an ancient Proto-Vietic root meaning 'father', making it a homonym for a parental term in historical reconstructions.
- The Vietnamese word bọ is often used as a building block for other names, such as bọ cánh cứng for beetles, which literally translates to 'hard-winged bug'.
- While bọ is colloquial, the formal term côn trùng is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from Chinese characters.
Examples in context
- Có con bọ nằm trong mắt tôi nhưng tôi không thể lấy nó ra được.I got a bug in my eye and I can't get it out.This sentence is useful for describing the experience of having a bọ in your eye.Tatoeba #6535208 by Hung, translation #323746 by CK
- Hãy cẩn thận với những côn trùng gặp trong rừng và đảm bảo không làm hại môi trường sống của chúng.Be careful with bugs you encounter in the forest and make sure not to harm their natural habitats.
- Có một con bọ trên lá cây.There is a bug on the leaf.
- Tôi sợ những con bọ nhỏ.I am afraid of small bugs.
Example conversation
Lan and Minh are walking in a garden.
- LanNhìn kìa, có một con bọ màu xanh!Look, there is a green bug!
- MinhNó đang bò trên bông hoa kìa.It is crawling on the flower.
- LanĐừng chạm vào nó nhé.Don't touch it.
- MinhTôi biết rồi, Lan.I know, Lan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bug” translations and entries bọ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bọ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
