da
[zaː˧˧]
In Vietnamese, the word for skin is da.
The term da is the common way to refer to the outer protective layer of both human beings and animals. If you are specifically referring to the skin of a fish, you use the phrase da cá.
Meaning: outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
While da is the standard term for biological skin, vỏ bọc can be used in formal or technical contexts, such as describing the skin or outer covering of objects or fruits.
Did you know?
- The phrase da gà literally means 'chicken skin' but is used idiomatically to describe getting goosebumps.
- The word da is used to describe leather products, such as túi da for a leather bag, because leather is essentially processed animal skin.
- In Vietnamese, da is used in the expression da mặt to refer to the face, but it also appears in the phrase da thịt to describe the entire physical body or flesh.
Examples in context
- Da cô ấy trắng.Her skin is white.This sentence shows how to describe a person's skin color using da.Tatoeba #14025628 by leucammieuvu, translation #14024901 by rul
- Anh ấy có làn da trắng.He has white skin.This sentence demonstrates how to state that someone possesses white skin using da.Tatoeba #13603306 by leucammieuvu, translation #13601790 by Babelball
- Cô ấy có làn da màu ô liu.Her skin is olive-coloured.This sentence illustrates how to describe skin as being olive-coloured using da.Tatoeba #13904143 by leucammieuvu, translation #13904123 by menaud
- Tôi rất chú trọng chăm sóc da của mình.I take great care of my skin.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chi and Tuấn are discussing skincare at a store.
- ChiLoại kem này tốt cho da của bạn không?Is this kind of cream good for your skin?
- TuấnCó, nó giúp da tôi mềm hơn.Yes, it helps my skin become softer.
- ChiDa của Tuấn trông rất khỏe mạnh.Tuấn's skin looks very healthy.
- TuấnCảm ơn Chi, tôi chăm sóc da mỗi ngày.Thanks Chi, I take care of my skin every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skin” translations and entries da, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
