chó
[t͡ɕɔ˧˦]
In Vietnamese, the word for dog is chó. Wiktionary also lists cẩu and khuyển.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chó | [t͡ɕɔ˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [t͡ɕɔ˨˩˦] (Huế, narrow) |
|
| cẩu | [kəw˧˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kəw˧˨] (Huế, narrow) |
informal |
| khuyển | [xwiən˧˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kʰwiəŋ˧˨] (Huế, narrow) |
informal |
The term refers to the animal known as a dog.
Which one should you use?
chó is the standard, neutral word used in almost all everyday situations. In contrast, cẩu is a rare and humorous term, while khuyển is another informal variation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
khuyển is considered informal, and cẩu is an informal, rare and humorous way to refer to the animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a dog as a specific animal or object, the classifier con is typically placed before chó to form con chó.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese culture, using the word chó in certain idioms can be a harsh insult, often implying someone is shameless or treacherous.
- The word chó shares an ancient ancestor with the word for 'servant' or 'slave' in the Semai language, reflecting a deep linguistic connection across Austroasiatic languages.
- The Khmer word for the 'Year of the Dog' is actually a borrowing from a Vietic language.
Examples in context
- Cho chó ăn đi.Feed the dog.This sentence is useful for practicing how to give a command involving the word chó.Tatoeba #13340460 by leucammieuvu, translation #8079052 by CK
- Con chó này to.This dog is big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a specific chó.Tatoeba #13896774 by leucammieuvu, translation #59419 by CK
- Con chó đâu rồi?Where is the dog?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of a chó.Tatoeba #2507753 by trieuho, translation #2507643 by serbobosnacroat
- Tôi có một chú chó cưng.I have a cute dog.
- Mấy cún chó nhỏ kia dễ thương quá!Those small dogs are so adorable!
- Mình có nhiều chó trong nhà.I have many dogs at home.
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chi and Hung are walking in a park.
- ChiCó một con chó đang chạy kìa.There is a dog running over there.
- HùngCon chó đó trông rất dễ thương.That dog looks very cute.
- ChiAnh có muốn chơi với nó không?Do you want to play with it?
- HùngTôi không muốn, nó hơi hung dữ.I don't want to, it's a bit aggressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries chó, cẩu, khuyển, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chó, cẩu, khuyển, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
