mì
The Vietnamese word for noodles is mì.
mì refers to a food made from dough that is shaped into long, thin strips. To specifically refer to instant noodles, Vietnamese speakers often use the term mì tôm.
Which one should you use?
While mì typically refers to wheat-based noodles, it is distinct from other types of noodles. bún is used for white rice vermicelli, and phở specifically refers to the flat rice noodles used in Vietnamese noodle soup.
Did you know?
- While mì tôm literally translates to 'shrimp noodles', it is used as the general term for all instant noodles, regardless of the flavor.
- The word mì is actually a loanword from Teochew or Hokkien Chinese, rather than being an indigenous Vietnamese word.
- The term mì specifically denotes wheat flour, which historically distinguished these imported noodles from the indigenous rice-based noodles of Vietnam.
Examples in context
- Tôi thích mì.I like noodles.This sentence shows how to express a preference for mì.Tatoeba #13640349 by leucammieuvu, translation #2807657 by Hybrid
- Bún chảGrilled pork noodles
- Bún riêu cuaCrab paste noodles
- Bún bò HuếSpicy beef noodles from Huế
- Bún thịt nướngGrilled meat noodles
- Bún mắmFermented fish paste noodles
- Mì này rất ngon.These noodles are very delicious.
- Bạn muốn ăn mì hay cơm?Do you want to eat noodles or rice?
Example conversation
A casual lunch at a small restaurant.
- NamLan ơi, bạn gọi mì chưa?Lan, have you ordered the noodles yet?
- LanMình chưa, mình đang chọn món.I haven't, I am choosing my dish.
- NamVậy mình gọi mì xào nhé.Then let's order fried noodles.
- LanĐược, ý kiến hay đó Nam.Okay, that is a good idea, Nam.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mì, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
