Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| thông minh | [tʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ mïŋ˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ mɨn˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| thông tuệ | [tʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ twe˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ twej˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
| lanh lợi | [lajŋ̟˧˧ ləːj˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [lɛɲ˧˧ ləːj˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
| giỏi | [zɔj˧˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [jɔj˧˨] (Huế, narrow) |
The term thông minh is the most general and common way to describe intelligence. It can be used to describe people, animals or even inanimate objects, such as a điện thoại thông minh (a smartphone).
Which one should you use?
While thông minh is the general term for being smart or intelligent, other words offer more specific nuances. Lanh lợi is used for a person, often a child, who is quick-witted, observant and mentally sharp in a practical way. Thông tuệ implies a deep, profound and often spiritual or philosophical wisdom rather than just a high IQ. Finally, giỏi is used when someone is 'smart' at a specific task or subject, indicating they are highly skilled or proficient.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'very smart', place the intensifier rất before the adjective, such as rất thông minh.
Did you know?
- The word lanh in the phrase lanh lợi has a history that may be linked to the French word 'lin', referring to linen.
- The term thông tuệ is rarely used in casual daily conversation and is more likely to be found in literature or formal speeches.
- The word giỏi can be used to describe a person as 'smart' even if they lack formal education, provided they are highly skilled in a craft.
Examples in context
- Cậu nghĩ cậu thông minh?Do you think you're smart?This sentence shows how to use thông minh in a question.Tatoeba #6275459 by moriole, translation #3172192 by CK
- Cậu bé đó rất thông minh.That boy is very smart.This sentence demonstrates a simple way to describe someone using thông minh.Tatoeba #8984744 by dotheduyet1999, translation #1454141 by CK
- Con chó của tôi rất thông minh.My dog is very smart.This sentence shows that thông minh can also be used to describe animals like a dog.Tatoeba #14033797 by nhuttan2004, translation #13264880 by frpzzd
- Tôi đã gặp một người bạn mới hôm qua. Anh ấy rất thông minh và hiểu biết rộng.I met a new friend yesterday. He is very smart and knowledgeable.
- Bác ấy luôn ra quyết định đúng lúc và đúng đắn. Bác ấy thật sáng suốt.He always makes timely and appropriate decisions. He is really smart.
- Cậu bé này thật giỏi toán. Anh ta giải được rất nhanh và chính xác.This boy is really smart in math. He solves problems quickly and accurately.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Lan are talking about a classmate's high test score.
- MinhLan thấy bạn Nam có thông minh không?Do you think Nam is smart?
- LanNam rất thông minh và chăm chỉ.Nam is very smart and hardworking.
- MinhĐúng vậy, cậu ấy luôn đứng nhất lớp.That's true, he always ranks first in class.
- LanMình muốn học giỏi như cậu ấy.I want to be as good as he is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smart” translations and entries thông minh, thông tuệ, lanh lợi, giỏi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lanh, lanh lợi, lợi, thông, thông minh, thông tuệ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
