kẹo
[kɛw˧˨ʔ]
The English phrase "candy" is translated into Vietnamese as kẹo.
You can use more specific terms to describe different textures or types, such as kẹo cứng for hard candy, kẹo mềm for soft candy or kẹo kéo to refer specifically to traditional Vietnamese pulled candy or taffy.
Meaning: piece of candy (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify a single piece of candy, use the classifier viên before kẹo to get viên kẹo. To indicate multiple pieces of candy, use the plural marker những before the classifier and noun, resulting in những viên kẹo.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'candy' can refer to a whole category of sweets, kẹo specifically refers to sugar-based confectionery and rarely covers chocolate products.
- When buying traditional kẹo kéo, you might see the maker performing a rhythmic pulling motion that is considered a street performance as much as food preparation.
- The classifier viên used for kẹo is the same word used for 'pill' or 'small round stone', reflecting the typical shape of the object.
Examples in context
- Anh ấy đang ăn kẹo.He is eating candy.This sentence is useful for describing someone currently eating kẹo.Tatoeba #13855649 by leucammieuvu, translation #13855529 by tieguy
- Tôi muốn 1 miếng kẹoI want a piece of candy.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire for one piece of kẹo.Tatoeba #12565563 by thanhcona40, translation #2067 by CK
- Đứa trẻ đang ăn một chiếc kẹo.The child is eating a candy.This sentence is useful for describing a child eating a single piece of kẹo.Tatoeba #11330646 by chaule3, translation #11330642 by chaule3
- Tôi muốn mua kẹo mặn.I want to buy salty candy.
- Cô ấy thích ăn kẹo hương vị dâu.She likes to eat strawberry-flavored candy.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chi and Tuấn are talking about snacks.
- ChiTuấn có kẹo không?Tuấn, do you have any candy?
- TuấnCó, tôi có một ít này.Yes, I have some here.
- ChiCho Chi một viên kẹo nhé.Give Chi a piece of candy, okay?
- TuấnĐây, của Chi này.Here, this is for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “candy” translations and entries kẹo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
