Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sắc | [sak̚˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʂak̚˦˧˥] (Huế, narrow) |
|
| bén | [ʔɓɛn˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɓɛŋ˦˧˥] (Huế, narrow) |
Southern, dialectal |
The term is used to describe an object that is able to cut easily. While sắc can refer to physical sharpness, it is also the word used to describe 'sharp' or 'acute' sounds or colors. In contrast, the term Nhọn is used to describe the sharpness of pointed objects such as a needle or a pencil.
Which one should you use?
The compound form sắc bén is often used to emphasize the sharpness or to describe a keen edge more formally or descriptively than the single word sắc. While sắc covers physical sharpness as well as sounds and colors, the word bén is almost exclusively used for the sharpness of a cutting edge.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word bén is a common regional variant used in Southern Vietnamese to mean sharp, particularly when referring to blades.
Did you know?
- The word sắc is also the name of the rising tone in Vietnamese, which is written with an acute accent mark. This creates a linguistic pun where the 'sharp' tone is named after the word for 'sharp'.
- In certain contexts, the word sắc can also mean 'beauty' due to its Sino-Vietnamese origins, a connection far removed from the concept of a blade.
- If you describe a person's wit as 'sharp' in Vietnamese, you must be careful which word you choose, as the physical and metaphorical nuances differ.
Examples in context
- Con dao này rất sắc.That knife is really sharp.This sentence is useful for noting the sharpness of a specific knife using sắc.Tatoeba #13344120 by leucammieuvu, translation #10796333 by CK
- Tôi cần một thứ gì đó sắc bén.I need something sharp.This sentence is useful for expressing a need for something sharp using sắc.Tatoeba #13841642 by vexvine, translation #8669913 by ajje
- Dao này chẳng sắc gì cả.This knife is not at all sharp.This sentence is useful for stating that a knife lacks sharpness using sắc.Tatoeba #1250200 by lewtds, translation #7798605 by sharris123
- Dao cắt sắc như lưỡi kiếm.The knife is as sharp as a sword.
- Cái bút chì này nhọn lắm.This pencil is very sharp.
- Lưỡi dao đã bén nhưng không cắt được thịt.The knife is sharp but can't cut the meat.
- Trí tuệ của anh ta rất bén.His intellect is very sharp.
Example conversation
Lan and Minh are preparing vegetables in the kitchen.
- LanAnh mài con dao này cho sắc nhé.Please sharpen this knife for me.
- MinhĐể anh xem, nó vẫn còn sắc mà.Let me see, it is still sharp.
- LanKhông, nó không còn sắc như trước nữa.No, it is not as sharp as before.
- MinhĐược rồi, anh sẽ làm cho nó thật sắc.Alright, I will make it very sharp.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sharp” translations and entries sắc, bén, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sắc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
