câm miệng
[kəm˧˧ miəŋ˧˨ʔ]word by word
In Vietnamese, shut your mouth is câm miệng.
The phrase is a rude and blunt command used to tell someone to stop talking immediately.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of câm, which means mute or unable to speak and miệng, which means mouth.
Which one should you use?
While câm miệng is a rude command to shut up, the phrase im lặng is a more neutral way to ask for silence. You may also encounter the informal phrase Im đi, which means shut up.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
câm miệng is an informal and rude command.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle đi to the end of the phrase to form câm miệng đi makes it a more forceful imperative command.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese social hierarchies, using câm miệng toward someone older or of higher status is considered an extreme social taboo.
- The word câm used in this phrase was influenced by the French word 'muet' to describe something that is silent.
Examples in context
- Câm miệng ngay!Shut your mouth immediately!
- Anh câm miệng lại đi.You, shut your mouth.
- Câm miệng, đừng nói nữa.Shut your mouth, stop talking.
Example conversation
A heated argument between two siblings in a living room.
- HươngCâm miệng đi, Nam!Shut your mouth, Nam!
- NamChị thật quá đáng.You are being too much.
- HươngTôi bảo anh câm miệng!I told you to shut your mouth!
- NamĐược rồi, tôi sẽ im lặng.Fine, I will be quiet.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (câm, miệng) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries câm, miệng, CC BY-SA 4.0.
