xã hội đen
[saː˦ˀ˥ hoj˧˨ʔ ʔɗɛn˧˧]
The Vietnamese word for gangster is xã hội đen.
The term xã hội đen is used to refer to members of organized crime or the criminal underworld in general, such as a gangster or an underworld figure.
Meaning: street gang member (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally translated, the phrase means 'black society'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to refer to a group or a gang of gangsters, you can add the classifier đám before the phrase to form đám xã hội đen.
Did you know?
- While xã hội đen refers to organized crime, Vietnamese often uses the word giang hồ to describe the 'wandering' lifestyle of gangsters and outlaws.
- The phrase xã hội đen is a direct translation of the Chinese term 黑社會, making it a linguistic 'loan translation' rather than a native Vietnamese construction.
- Vietnamese uses the classifier đám for groups of gangsters, a word often used for crowds or gatherings that may be viewed with skepticism or disapproval.
Examples in context
- Đừng làm việc với đám xã hội đen đó.Don't work with those gangsters.
- Phim này nói về các xã hội đen.This movie is about gangsters.
Example conversation
Tuấn and Mai are discussing a news report about crime.
- MaiTuấn ơi, anh có xem tin tức không?Tuấn, did you see the news?
- TuấnVề việc các xã hội đen gây rối à?About the gangsters causing trouble?
- MaiĐúng vậy, thật là đáng sợ.Yes, it is really scary.
- TuấnTôi cũng thấy rất lo lắng.I feel very worried too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry xã hội đen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hội, xã, xã hội đen, đen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
