không thịt
[xəwŋ͡m˧˧ tʰit̚˧˨ʔ]word by word
The English phrase "no meat" is translated into Vietnamese as không thịt.
không thịt is a phrase used to indicate that a food item or dish does not contain any meat. It is often used as a shorthand instruction when ordering food, such as Phở không thịt (Phở with no meat).
Which one should you use?
While không thịt literally means "no meat", the word chay is the standard way to specify vegetarian or vegan food.
How does it change in a sentence?
In a full sentence, it is more natural to use không có thịt instead of just không thịt to say a dish does not have meat.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese culture, chay describes not just the absence of meat, but a mindful way of eating that often excludes pungent vegetables like garlic and onions.
- The word không shares a linguistic root with the word for 'zero' in Korean 공 and various Southern Min Chinese dialects.
- The word chay used for vegetarianism specifically refers to a style of eating common in Buddhist traditions throughout Vietnam.
Examples in context
- Xin chào, tôi không ăn thịt. Bạn có món chay không?Hello, I don't eat meat. Do you have vegetarian dishes?
- Vâng, mì chay như vậy là tốt. Xin cảm ơn rất nhiều!Yes, vegetarian noodles like that are good. Thank you very much!
- Tôi muốn ăn món không thịt.I want to eat a dish with no meat.
Example conversation
Tuấn and Hương are ordering food at a restaurant.
- TuấnHương muốn ăn món gì?What do you want to eat, Hương?
- HươngCho tôi một đĩa không thịt.Give me a plate with no meat.
- TuấnBạn không ăn thịt sao?You don't eat meat?
- HươngĐúng rồi, tôi không ăn thịt.That's right, I don't eat meat.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (không, thịt) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries không, thịt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
