Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| súp | |
| canh | [kajŋ̟˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [kɛɲ˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| nước dùng | [nɨək̚˧˦ zʊwŋ͡m˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [nɨək̚˦˧˥ jʊwŋ͡m˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| nước lèo | [nɨək̚˧˦ lɛw˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [nɨək̚˦˧˥ lɛw˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| soup | |
| xúp | [sup̚˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [sup̚˦˧˥] (Huế, narrow) |
The term súp is typically used to describe thicker, creamier or Western-style soups, such as cream of mushroom soup. Other words are used depending on whether you are referring to traditional light dishes or the liquid base itself.
Which one should you use?
Vietnamese distinguishes between types of liquid dishes and the liquids themselves. súp usually refers to thick, Western-style soups. In contrast, canh is the standard term for the light, clear, savory liquid dishes served alongside rice in a traditional Vietnamese meal. If you are talking about the liquid base or broth used to make a soup or noodle dish, use nước dùng.
Is it said differently in some regions?
nước lèo is the term used in Southern Vietnam to refer to the broth or soup base.
When do people say it?
In Hue, traditional dishes often incorporate a rich and spicy broth known as bún bò Huế.
Did you know?
- The word nước means both 'water' and 'country' or 'nation' in Vietnamese.
- The word nước belongs to the Austroasiatic language family, making it a distant linguistic relative of the Khmer word ទឹក.
- Traditional Vietnamese meals treat canh as a side dish to be eaten with rice rather than as a standalone starter or main course as is common with Western 'soup'.
Examples in context
- Món xúp hơi mặn.The soup is a bit too salty.This sentence is useful for describing the saltiness of the xúp.Tatoeba #4177821 by angemon, translation #4177428 by Hybrid
- Xúp này có vị kì lạ.This soup tastes strange.This sentence is useful for describing the taste of the xúp.Tatoeba #13980684 by leucammieuvu, translation #13971611 by rul
- Tôi thích ăn súp nấm.I like to eat mushroom soup.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for mushroom súp.Tatoeba #11395184 by chaule3, translation #11395183 by chaule3
- Súp gàChicken soup
- Canh bí đỏPumpkin soup
- Cho tôi một bát súpOne bowl of soup, please.
- Bạn muốn thưởng thức canh không?Would you like to try the soup?
- Canh này ngon quá!This soup is delicious!
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to have for lunch at home.
- LanTrưa nay mình ăn gì nhỉ?What should we eat for lunch today?
- TuấnAnh muốn ăn súp.I want to eat soup.
- LanVậy em sẽ nấu súp rau củ.Then I will cook vegetable soup.
- TuấnTuyệt quá, cảm ơn em.That's great, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soup” translations and entries súp, canh, nước dùng, nước lèo, xúp, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canh, dùng, nước, nước dùng, nước lèo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
