yên nghỉ
[ʔiən˧˧ ŋi˧˩]
The English phrase "rest in peace" is translated into Vietnamese as yên nghỉ.
yên nghỉ is used as a wish for the deceased to find peace in the afterlife.
Meaning: blessing or expression of hope (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of yên meaning peaceful/calm and nghỉ meaning to rest.
How does it change in a sentence?
While yên nghỉ is used for the deceased, the term nghỉ ngơi is the standard term used for living people taking a break or resting.
Did you know?
- In Vietnam, the term yên nghỉ is strictly reserved for the deceased. Using it to tell a living person to 'rest' would be an alarming and inappropriate mistake, as it implies they are dead.
- The sound yên in yên nghỉ is a homonym with several unrelated meanings, including the word for a horse 'saddle'.
Examples in context
- Mong ông yên nghỉ.I hope you rest in peace.
- Hãy yên nghỉ nhé.Please rest in peace.
- Cầu mong linh hồn ấy yên nghỉ.May that soul rest in peace.
Example conversation
Hương and Tuấn are visiting a cemetery.
- HươngTôi rất buồn vì sự mất mát này.I am very sad about this loss.
- TuấnTôi cũng vậy, thật là một cú sốc.Me too, it's such a shock.
- HươngCầu cho anh ấy được yên nghỉ.Pray that he may rest in peace.
- TuấnVâng, mong anh ấy ra đi thanh thản.Yes, I hope he departed peacefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rest in peace” translations and entries yên nghỉ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nghỉ, yên, yên nghỉ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
