dạ thôi, cảm ơn
In Vietnamese, dạ thôi, cảm ơn is the way to say "no thank you".
This phrase is used to decline an offer of food, drink or assistance from someone else.
Meaning: polite way of saying no (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of dạ (a polite particle), thôi (meaning to stop or cease) and cảm ơn (thank you).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The inclusion of the particle dạ at the beginning makes the refusal polite and respectful, which is essential in Vietnamese social hierarchy. While Không, cám ơn is also a way to say "no thank you",
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, dạ thôi alone is sufficient to politely decline an offer without needing to explicitly say thank you.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese culture, refusing an offer multiple times before finally saying dạ thôi is common. This 'ritual of refusal' shows modesty and prevents the guest from appearing greedy.
- The polite particle dạ actually traces its origins back to an Old Chinese word meaning 'belly' or 'stomach'.
Examples in context
- Không, cám ơn.No thank you.
- Dạ thôi, cảm ơn anh.No thank you, sir.
- Dạ thôi, cảm ơn chị, em no rồi.No thank you, sister, I am full.
Example conversation
Hương is offered more fruit by Hùng.
- HùngEm ăn thêm trái cây không?Do you want some more fruit?
- HươngDạ thôi, cảm ơn anh Hùng.No thank you, brother Hùng.
- HùngEm no rồi hả?Are you full already?
- HươngVâng, em no rồi.Yes, I am full.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cảm, dạ, thôi, ơn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
