quả lê
[kwaː˧˩ le˧˧]word by word
The English word "pear" is translated into Vietnamese as quả lê. Wiktionary also lists lê and trái lê.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| quả lê | [kwaː˧˩ le˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| lê | [le˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [lej˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| trái lê | [t͡ɕaːj˧˦ le˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
The word refers to the fruit known as a pear.
What does it mean word for word?
The term quả lê is composed of the classifier quả, meaning fruit or object and the noun lê, meaning pear.
Which one should you use?
While quả lê is the standard term, trái lê is also used. In this variation, trái serves as an alternative classifier for fruit used in many Vietnamese dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Vietnamese, quả lê is the more common form, whereas trái lê is more characteristic of Southern Vietnamese speech. In Saigon, the specific variety known as a Bartlett pear is commonly referred to as quả lê Mỹ.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word lê can be used on its own to refer to the fruit, but it is more common to use a classifier like quả or trái when counting or specifying the fruit.
Did you know?
- In some Northern dialects, a native word for pear once existed, but it was likely replaced by the Sino-Vietnamese quả because the native word sounded too much like the word for 'testicles'.
- The word trái is used in many Vietnamese compounds beyond just fruit, such as in the phrase Trái Đất, which means 'the Earth'.
Examples in context
- Tôi đang ăn lê.I am eating a pear.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of lê in a simple sentence about eating.Tatoeba #8956013 by dotheduyet1999, translation #2238989 by danepo
- Mình có thể ăn một quả lê không?Can I have a pear, please?
- Tôi muốn mua một quả lê.I want to buy a pear.
- Quả lê này rất ngọt.This pear is very sweet.
Example conversation
Hùng and Mai are at a fruit stall.
- HùngMai, bạn có thích quả lê không?Mai, do you like pears?
- MaiCó, tôi rất thích quả lê.Yes, I like pears very much.
- HùngTôi sẽ mua vài quả cho bạn.I will buy some for you.
- MaiCảm ơn Hùng nhiều nhé.Thank you very much, Hùng.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pear” translations and entries lê, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (quả, lê, trái) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lê, quả, trái, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
