Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bánh mì kẹp | [ʔɓajŋ̟˧˦ mi˨˩ kɛp̚˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɓɛɲ˦˧˥ mɪj˦˩ kɛp̚˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
|
| xăng-uých | ||
| xăng-đuých | rare |
The term refers to a dish. While people often use the English word itself with a Vietnamese accent, the formal and descriptive way to name the dish is bánh mì kẹp.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bánh mì kẹp literally translates to 'bread sandwich', where bánh mì means bread and kẹp means to sandwich or clip between two things.
Which one should you use?
bánh mì kẹp is a descriptive Vietnamese term used for standard writing or menus. In contrast, xăng-uých is a phonetic loanword from the English word 'sandwich' used in casual speech. The form xăng-đuých is a rare variation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bánh mì kẹp is the standard term suitable for formal writing or menus. xăng-uých is a colloquial loanword used in informal, casual conversation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The related verbs kẹp or khoác can be used to describe the action of placing one item between two other items, usually flat items.
When do people say it?
Many locals use the English word 'sandwich' directly, pronounced with a Vietnamese accent.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Tom muốn ăn xăng-uých.Tom would like a sandwich.This sentence shows how to express a desire for a xăng-uých.Tatoeba #4786132 by tucm, translation #3409440 by CK
- Trong thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, bạn có thể sử dụng từ "sandwich" mà người Việt hiểu rõIn Ho Chi Minh City, you can use the word "sandwich" that Vietnamese people understand well
- Tôi muốn ăn bánh mì kẹp thịt.I want to eat a meat sandwich.
- Mẹ đã làm bánh mì kẹp cho tôi.Mom made a sandwich for me.
Example conversation
Nam and Chi are deciding what to eat.
- NamChi ơi, bạn muốn ăn gì cho trưa nay?Chi, what do you want to eat for lunch today?
- ChiTôi muốn ăn một cái bánh mì kẹp.I want to eat a sandwich.
- NamTôi cũng vậy, chúng ta đi mua nhé.Me too, let's go buy some.
- ChiĐược rồi, đi thôi Nam.Alright, let's go Nam.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sandwich” translations and entries bánh mì kẹp, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bánh, bánh mì kẹp, kẹp, mì, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
