câm mồm
[kəm˧˧ mom˨˩]word by word
The English phrase "shut up" can be translated into Vietnamese as câm mồm. Wiktionary also lists câm and câm miệng.
Meaning: "Stop talking." (intj)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| câm mồm | [kəm˧˧ mom˨˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| câm | [kəm˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kəm˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| câm miệng | [kəm˧˧ miəŋ˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| ngậm miệng | |
| câm đi | [kəm˧˧ ʔɗi˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| câm đê | [kəm˧˧ ʔɗe˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| im đi | [ʔim˧˧ ʔɗi˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| im | [ʔim˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔim˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| im đê | [ʔim˧˧ ʔɗe˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| im mồm | [ʔim˧˧ mom˨˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
These expressions are used to tell someone to stop talking. For example, ngậm miệng literally means "to keep one's mouth closed" and is used to tell someone to stop talking or to stop complaining.
What does it mean word for word?
The word câm literally means "mute" or "unable to speak".
Which one should you use?
Im đi is a common way to tell someone to be quiet, which is less harsh than using câm.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Im đi is an informal expression. Im đê is a highly colloquial, slangy version used among close friends or in very informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding đi to câm or im turns the adjective into an imperative command, similar to "do it" in English.
Did you know?
- The word câm used in 'shut up' was borrowed from the French word 'muet' to describe things that are orthographically silent.
- In Vietnamese culture, telling someone to câm is far more aggressive than 'shut up' because it literally invokes the state of being mute.
- Vietnamese distinguishes between two words for 'mouth'. Mồm is often used in blunt or rude commands like câm mồm, while miệng is more general.
Examples in context
- Im mồm vào và ăn đi.Shut up and eat.This sentence is useful for practicing the command to shut up and eat using im.Tatoeba #13249741 by leucammieuvu, translation #5901241 by Hybrid
- Im miệng!Shut up!Tatoeba #13339791 by leucammieuvu, translation #462430 by lukaszpp
- Bạn cần hai năm học cách nói chuyện và bảy mươi năm học cách im miệng.You need two years to learn to talk and seventy to learn to shut up.Tatoeba #13615244 by leucammieuvu, translation #13611707 by araneo
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hương and Hùng are arguing about a movie.
- HươngHùng, anh nói sai rồi!Hùng, you are wrong!
- HùngTôi luôn đúng, cô câm mồm đi!I am always right, shut up!
- HươngSao anh lại nói vậy?Why would you say that?
- HùngVì tôi không muốn nghe nữa.Because I don't want to listen anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations and entries câm, im, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (câm, mồm, miệng, đi, đê, im) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries câm, miệng, mồm, ngậm, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
