ma
[maː˧˧]
The English phrase devil is translated into Vietnamese as ma. Wiktionary also lists quỷ and ác ma.
Meaning: evil creature (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| ma | [maː˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [maː˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| quỷ | [kwi˧˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kwɪj˧˨] (Huế, narrow) |
| ác ma | [ʔaːk̚˧˦ maː˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| ác thần | [ʔaːk̚˧˦ tʰən˨˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
You can use ác ma to refer to evil spirits or malign forces, or ác quỷ to express the concept of a personified evil or a great devil. While quỷ is a common term for a devil or demon, ác thần is used specifically when referring to a malevolent deity or an evil god.
What does it mean word for word?
The term ác ma is a compound word where ác means evil and ma refers to a spirit or demon.
Which one should you use?
While ma can mean devil, it is more commonly used to refer to a ghost or a spirit. In contrast, quỷ specifically refers to a more powerful, demonic or malevolent entity compared to the general ma. Finally, ác thần is distinct from the others as it refers to an evil god rather than a mere demon or ghost.
Did you know?
- The word ác in the phrase ác ma may have an unexpected connection to the sound of a crow. It is a doublet of a word derived from Proto-Austroasiatic terms for 'crow' or 'to caw'.
Examples in context
- Ác quỷ trẻ, thiên sứ già.Young devil, old angel.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form quỷ.Tatoeba #13693211 by leucammieuvu, translation #13692122 by carlosalberto
- Trong truyền thuyết, ác ma sống ở vùng đó.In legends, the devil lives in that region.
Example conversation
Lan and Tuấn are watching a horror movie.
- LanTuấn, nhìn con ma kìa!Tuấn, look at that devil!
- TuấnAnh không thấy gì cả.I don't see anything.
- LanNó đang ở ngay sau anh.It is right behind you.
- TuấnĐừng làm anh sợ, Lan.Don't scare me, Lan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “devil” translations and entries ma, quỷ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ác, ma, thần) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ma, quỷ, thần, ác, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
