What does it mean word for word?
The phrase xin chúc mừng literally means "please wish/congratulate", where xin means to request or please, chúc means to wish and mừng means to be happy or joyful.
Which one should you use?
While xin chúc mừng is a complete formal expression, you can use chúc mừng for a more direct approach. For a more casual tone, you can add nha or nhé to the end of chúc mừng to add warmth and familiarity.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Xin chúc mừng is a more formal variant of the expression. Adding xin at the beginning makes the phrase sound more polite and formal, whereas chúc mừng is a common and versatile way to express the same sentiment in various settings. Adding nha or nhé to the end of chúc mừng makes it informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word xin can be omitted to form chúc mừng, which functions as a more direct way to say "congratulations".
When do people say it?
During celebratory occasions like Lunar New Year, it is customary to give red envelopes containing lucky money.
Did you know?
- The word chúc shares its roots with the Chinese character 祝, meaning 'to wish' or 'to pray'. Historically, this word is linked to the act of blessing someone while kneeling or bowing the head.
- In Vietnamese, the concept of 'congratulations' is structurally built on the idea of 'wishing someone joy' rather than just acknowledging an achievement.
- While xin chúc mừng is a polite way to offer congratulations, the word xin functions as a humble request to the listener, effectively asking 'please allow me to wish you happiness'.
Examples in context
- Xin chúc mừng, bạn đã trúng số!Congratulations, you won the lottery!This sentence shows how to use xin chúc mừng when someone wins the lottery.Tatoeba #11395266 by chaule3, translation #10040311 by espamatics
- Xin chúc mừng!Congratulations!This sentence is a simple, standalone way to say "Congratulations!" using xin chúc mừng.Tatoeba #5726 by trieuho, translation #1437 by CK
- Chúc mừng bạn đã hoàn thành công việc tốt đẹp!Congratulations on a job well done!
- Xin chúc mừng bạn đã giành chiến thắng trong cuộc thi ở cấp quốc gia!Congratulations on winning the national competition!
- Chúc mừng nha! Bạn sắp kết hôn rồi à?Congratulations! Are you getting married soon?
- Chúc mừng bạn đã giành huy chương vàng với sự kiên nhẫn và đam mê.Congratulations on winning the gold medal with patience and passion.
- Xin chúc mừng bạn đã tốt nghiệp!Congratulations on your graduation!
Example conversation
Chi and Minh are meeting at a cafe to celebrate Minh's new job.
- ChiXin chúc mừng anh đã có công việc mới!Congratulations on your new job!
- MinhCảm ơn Chi rất nhiều.Thank you very much, Chi.
- ChiTôi rất vui cho anh.I am very happy for you.
- MinhHôm nay chúng ta đi ăn mừng nhé.Let's go out to celebrate today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (xin, chúc, mừng) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chúc, mừng, xin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
