hành lá
[hajŋ̟˨˩ laː˧˦]word by word
The English phrase "green onion" is hành lá in Vietnamese.
hành lá refers to the long, thin vegetable characterized by a green stem and a white bulb, commonly used in cooking.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of hành, which means onion or scallion and lá, which means leaf.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish hành lá from other types of onions: hành tím refers to small, purple shallots, while hành tây refers to large, round white or yellow onions.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese slang, the word hành can also mean 'to harass' or 'to mistreat'. This has led to colorful idioms like ăn hành, which literally means 'to eat scallion' but actually means 'to suffer' or 'to be beaten' in a struggle.
- The word hành in hành lá is a homophone of a word meaning 'to torture' or 'to harass' (hành hạ), which likely inspired the slang expressions about 'eating onions'.
Examples in context
- Làm ơn cho tôi hành lá được không?Could you please pass me the green onions?
- Tôi đã mua một ít hành lá tươi từ chợ.I bought some fresh green onions from the market.
- Hành lá là một thành phần phổ biến trong ẩm thực Việt Nam.Green onions are a common ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine.
- Tôi cần mua thêm hành lá.I need to buy more green onion.
- Hành lá rất tốt cho món phở.Green onion is very good for pho.
- Bạn có muốn thêm hành lá không?Do you want to add some green onion?
Example conversation
Hương and Tuấn are cooking dinner together.
- HươngTuấn ơi, mình hết hành lá rồi.Tuấn, we are out of green onion.
- TuấnĐể anh đi mua hành lá cho.Let me go buy some green onion.
- HươngAnh mua một bó nhỏ thôi nhé.Just buy a small bunch, okay.
- TuấnĐược rồi, anh đi ngay đây.All right, I'm going now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hành, lá) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hành, lá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
