ông
[ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧]
The Vietnamese word for "mister" is ông.
ông is a title used for adult males. While it translates to "mister", it is also very commonly used as a pronoun to mean "he" or "him" when referring to an older man in a respectful way.
Meaning: title of adult male (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When using ông as a title, place it directly before the person's given name (for example, ông + [Given Name]) rather than their surname.
When do people say it?
In Vietnamese social hierarchy, using ông implies that the man is significantly older than the speaker or holds a position of respect.
Did you know?
- In traditional Vietnamese folklore and mythology, spirits and deities are often addressed with ông as a mark of divine respect.
- In family trees, ông is not just a title for a stranger but is the standard way to address a paternal grandfather.
- The word ông is a Sino-Vietnamese term originally meaning 'old man', which is why it carries a weight of seniority.
Examples in context
- Xin lỗi, anh có thể cho tôi biết đường không?Excuse me, sir, can you tell me the way?
- Ông Trần, chúng tôi đã chuẩn bị sẵn phòng của ông.Mister Tran, we have prepared your room.
- Xin lỗi, ông có thể giúp tôi với vấn đề này không?Sorry, sir, can you help me with this matter?
- Ông ấy là giáo viên của tôi.He is my teacher.
- Ông muốn uống trà hay cà phê?Do you want to drink tea or coffee?
Example conversation
Mai introduces Tuấn to her grandfather.
- MaiTuấn, hãy gặp ông của tôi.Tuan, please meet my grandfather.
- TuấnCháu chào ông ạ.Hello, sir.
- MaiÔng rất vui được gặp cháu.I am very glad to meet you.
- TuấnCháu cảm ơn ông.Thank you, sir.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ông, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ông, CC BY-SA 4.0.
