bạc hà
[ʔɓaːk̚˧˨ʔ haː˨˩]
The English word "mint" is translated into Vietnamese as bạc hà.
bạc hà refers to the mint plant, but it is also used to describe mint flavors in food and drinks. If you wish to refer specifically to the leaves of the plant, you can use lá bạc hà or use bạc hà xanh to mean "green mint".
Meaning: plant (noun)
Related words
When do people say it?
Fresh mint is commonly used in dishes like gỏi cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls).
Did you know?
- While bạc hà refers to the plant, the word bạc on its own can mean 'ungrateful' depending on the tone used.
- The word bạc in bạc hà can also mean 'silver' in Vietnamese. This is because the word for 'white' evolved to mean 'silver' in the same way that 'yellow' evolved to mean 'gold'.
- In Vietnamese culture, mint is not just a garnish but a functional ingredient used to balance the 'heat' of fried or fatty foods to aid digestion.
Examples in context
- Tôi thích mùi hương của bạc hà.I like the scent of mint.
- Có một chậu bạc hà trên ban công.There is a pot of mint on the balcony.
- Cô ấy đang hái lá bạc hà.She is picking mint leaves.
Example conversation
Hùng and Chi are in the kitchen preparing tea.
- HùngChi ơi, chúng ta có bạc hà không?Chi, do we have any mint?
- ChiDạ có, em vừa mới hái xong.Yes, I just finished picking some.
- HùngTốt quá, cho một ít vào trà nhé.Great, put some in the tea.
- ChiVâng, để em làm ngay.Okay, I'll do it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mint” translations and entries bạc hà, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bạc, bạc hà, hà, CC BY-SA 4.0.
