How to Say "Knife" in Vietnamese

dao

[zaːw˧˧]

The Vietnamese word for knife is dao.

dao refers to a utensil or tool designed for cutting.

Meaning: utensil or tool designed for cutting (noun)

How does it change in a sentence?

To indicate plurality, you can place những before con dao to say the knives.

To count a dao, Vietnamese speakers use the classifier con, which is the same word used for animals. This suggests the knife is viewed as an active or 'living' tool.
If you see the word đao in a historical novel, it might not mean a kitchen knife but rather a large blade or sword. The word's evolution allows it to shift between a simple tool and a more formidable weapon depending on the context.
The word dao is a linguistic fossil from a Chinese word that originally started with a 't' sound. Through a process called lenition, the original 't' sound softened and eventually transformed into the 'd' sound used in modern Vietnamese.

Bạn có dao không?
Do you have a knife?
This sentence is useful for asking if someone possesses a dao.
Tatoeba #13769924 by leucammieuvu, translation #3823220 by CK
Thiếu một con dao.
There is a knife missing.
This sentence is useful for noting that a dao is missing.
Tatoeba #510399 by autuno, translation #36555 by CK
Cái dao này bị cùn.
This knife is dull.
This sentence is useful for describing a dao that is dull.
Tatoeba #9032754 by dotheduyet1999, translation #2627966 by Hybrid
Xin cho tôi một cái dao.
Please give me a knife.
Xin hãy đưa cho tôi một con dao cắt thịt.
Please pass me a meat knife.
Anh ơi, cho em mượn cái dao được không?
Hey, can I borrow a knife?
Cái dao này sắc lắm.
This knife is sharp.
20 more sentences on Tatoeba

In the kitchen while preparing dinner.

Sources

Wiktionary, “knife” translations and entries dao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries dao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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