Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| âm thanh | [ʔəm˧˧ tʰajŋ̟˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔəm˧˧ tʰɛɲ˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| tiếng | [tiəŋ˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tiəŋ˦˧˥] (Huế, narrow) |
The word 'sound' refers to a sensation perceived by the ear. You can use âm thanh to talk about sound as a physical phenomenon, a technical concept or a scientific subject. If you are referring to a specific, identifiable noise, such as a voice or the sound made by a particular object, use tiếng. To specifically describe a 'noise' or a sudden, often unwanted sound, Vietnamese speakers frequently use the compound tiếng động.
Which one should you use?
âm thanh is used for the abstract or physical phenomenon of sound, whereas tiếng is used for specific, audible noises. For example, if you are discussing sound quality or the physics of sound, you would use âm thanh, but if you are talking about the sound of rain or a specific person's voice, tiếng is more appropriate.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tiếng is polysemous. Depending on the context, it can also mean 'language' or 'dialect'.
Did you know?
- Vietnamese uses tiếng to refer to a 'hour' when counting time, such as ba tiếng for 'three hours'.
- The word tiếng is used not only for 'sound' or 'language' but also to mean 'reputation' or 'fame', as in having a 'big sound' in the community.
- The word âm thanh is a double-word where both âm and thanh individually mean 'sound'. It essentially translates to 'sound sound'.
Examples in context
- Âm thanh chậm hơn ánh sáng.Sound is slower than light.This sentence is useful for showing a scientific comparison using âm thanh.Tatoeba #13534984 by leucammieuvu, translation #13534395 by araneo
- Tiếng mưa đã đánh thức cô ấy dậy.The sound of the rain woke her up.This sentence demonstrates how to describe a specific sound using tiếng.Tatoeba #11317053 by chaule3, translation #11317052 by chaule3
- Chất lượng âm thanh là quan trọng.Sound quality matters.This sentence shows how to discuss technical qualities using âm thanh.Tatoeba #13340900 by leucammieuvu, translation #5748217 by CM
- Ấn vào nút này để bật âm thanh.Press this button to turn on the sound.
- Tôi nghe được âm thanh rất rõ.I can hear the sound very clearly.
- Âm thanh ở đây rất ồn ào.The sound here is very noisy.
- Tiếng hátThe sound of singing
- Tiếng cườiThe sound of laughter
- Tiếng bước chânThe sound of footsteps
- Tôi thích tiếng chim hót buổi sáng.I enjoy the sound of birds singing in the morning.
- Cô ấy có một tiếng cười rất đáng yêu.She has a very charming laughter.
- Tôi nghe thấy tiếng bước chân phía sau tôi.I can hear footsteps behind me.
- A haA sudden realization
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Huong are in a living room listening to a new speaker.
- MinhÂm thanh này rất rõ ràng.This sound is very clear.
- HươngĐúng vậy, tôi rất thích nó.That's right, I really like it.
- MinhBạn có nghe thấy âm thanh lạ không?Do you hear that strange sound?
- HươngKhông, tôi không nghe thấy gì cả.No, I don't hear anything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sound” translations and entries âm thanh, tiếng, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries thanh, tiếng, âm, âm thanh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
