Giáng sinh
[zaːŋ˧˦ sïŋ˧˧]
In Vietnamese, Christmas is expressed as Giáng sinh. Wiktionary also lists Nô-en.
Meaning: festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 in most places (name)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| Giáng sinh | [zaːŋ˧˦ sïŋ˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [jaːŋ˦˧˥ ʂɨn˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| Nô-en | [no˧˧ ʔɛn˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [now˧˧ ʔɛŋ˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
The term refers to the festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. To wish someone a Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas, use the phrase Chúc mừng Giáng sinh.
What does it mean word for word?
The term Giáng sinh is composed of giáng, meaning to descend or arrive and sinh, meaning to give birth or be born.
Which one should you use?
Giáng sinh is the standard Vietnamese term for the holiday. Nô-en is a loanword from the French Noël and is also widely used in the language.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding the word Lễ before the term to create Lễ Giáng sinh makes it more formal, which is common in religious contexts or official announcements.
Did you know?
- In Vietnam, Christmas is often treated as a social outing for young people and couples rather than a strictly religious family gathering.
- The word Giáng sinh is a Sino-Vietnamese term, meaning it is derived from Chinese characters.
- Because Nô-en is a loanword from French, it is often perceived as more secular or lifestyle-oriented, whereas Giáng sinh feels more formal and religious.
Examples in context
- Gần Giáng sinh rồi.It's almost Christmas.This sentence shows how to indicate that Christmas is approaching using Giáng sinh.Tatoeba #13666142 by leucammieuvu, translation #5679050 by CK
- Tôi ghét Giáng Sinh.I hate Christmas.This sentence expresses a personal dislike for Christmas using Giáng sinh.Tatoeba #13340960 by leucammieuvu, translation #4861652 by Hybrid
- Tom ghét Giáng sinh.Tom hates Christmas.This sentence demonstrates how to express that someone else hates Christmas using Giáng sinh.Tatoeba #13598580 by leucammieuvu, translation #6563572 by Hybrid
- Năm nay, tôi sẽ đến thăm Hà Nội vào dịp Giáng Sinh này.This Christmas, I will visit Hanoi.
- Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh vui vẻ đến tất cả mọi người!Merry Christmas to all of you!
- Tôi nhận được rất nhiều quà vào ngày Giáng Sinh.I received many presents on Christmas day.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Chi are talking about their holiday plans.
- MinhBạn có kế hoạch gì cho Giáng sinh không?Do you have any plans for Christmas?
- ChiMình sẽ đi chơi với gia đình.I will go out with my family.
- MinhChúc bạn một mùa Giáng sinh vui vẻ!Have a Merry Christmas!
- ChiCảm ơn Minh, chúc bạn cũng vậy!Thanks Minh, you too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Christmas” translations and entries Giáng sinh, Nô-en, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Giáng sinh, Nô-en, giáng, sinh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
