gián
[zaːn˧˦]
The Vietnamese word for cockroach is gián.
gián is a noun used to refer to this specific type of insect.
Meaning: type of insect (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a single cockroach as a noun, it is common to use the classifier con before gián, forming the phrase con gián.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese, the word gián can also mean 'spy' or 'agent' in a political or espionage context.
- The word gián is etymologically related to the Muong word chản chản, which refers to a 'centipede'.
- The classifier con used with gián is used for almost all animals, but it also applies to certain inanimate objects that move, like a shuttlecock.
Examples in context
- Con gián đang bò trên bàn.The cockroach is crawling on the table.
- Tôi thấy một con gián trong bếp.I saw a cockroach in the kitchen.
- Đừng chạm vào con gián đó!Don't touch that cockroach!
- Có rất nhiều gián ở đây.There are many cockroaches here.
Example conversation
In a living room, a girl sees a bug.
- MaiMinh ơi, có con gián kìa!Minh, look, there is a cockroach!
- MinhNó đang ở đâu vậy?Where is it?
- MaiNó đang chạy dưới gầm ghế.It is running under the chair.
- MinhĐể anh xử lý nó cho.Let me handle it for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cockroach” translations and entries gián, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gián, CC BY-SA 4.0.
