thằng ngốc
The Vietnamese word for idiot is thằng ngốc. If unsure, use thằng ngốc. Wiktionary also lists thằng ngu.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| thằng ngốc | |
| thằng ngu | [tʰaŋ˨˩ ŋu˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
The term is used to describe a person of low general intelligence. In colloquial speech, you may also hear the word Đần used to describe an idiot or a fool.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ngu means stupid or unintelligent.
Which one should you use?
thằng ngốc is a relatively mild way to call someone a fool or an idiot, whereas thằng ngu is much more insulting and aggressive.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both forms use the male classifier thằng. To call a female an idiot, replace thằng with the female classifier con, resulting in con ngốc or con ngu.
Did you know?
- The term con used for female versions of these insults is the same classifier used for animals, which adds a layer of dehumanization to the insult.
- The classifier thằng was used in a 1209 Buddhist stele from the Lý dynasty, though it originally had a different meaning than the modern term for a male person.
- The word ngốc is sometimes used affectionately between romantic partners or close friends, similar to calling someone 'silly' in English.
Examples in context
- Tôi đúng là một thằng ngu!What an idiot I am!This sentence is useful for expressing self-deprecation when using thằng ngu.Tatoeba #8960075 by dotheduyet1999, translation #410599 by CK
- Đừng có làm như một thằng ngốc thế.Don't act like an idiot.
- Anh ta đúng là một thằng ngốc.He is truly an idiot.
Example conversation
Chi and Nam are talking about a clumsy coworker.
- ChiAnh Nam thấy anh ta thế nào?Nam, what do you think of him?
- NamHắn ta là một thằng ngốc.He is an idiot.
- ChiTôi cũng nghĩ như vậy.I think so too.
- NamChúng ta nên giúp anh ta.We should help him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (thằng, ngu) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ngu, ngốc, thằng, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
