dâu tây
[zəw˧˧ təj˧˧]
The English word "strawberry" is dâu tây in Vietnamese.
dâu tây refers to the strawberry, which is an accessory fruit.
Meaning: accessory fruit (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of dâu (berry/strawberry) and tây (West), so it literally means "Western berry".
Which one should you use?
The addition of tây (West) serves to distinguish the strawberry from other types of berries native to Vietnam, such as dâu tằm (mulberry).
Did you know?
- The word dâu can be found in the names of ancient structures like the Dâu temple, suggesting the word has historical roots much older than the fruit itself.
- The term 'dâu' is a cognate with the word 'tô' in the Muong language, a close relative of Vietnamese, showing the deep indigenous roots of the word for mulberry.
Examples in context
- Tôi muốn mua một kilogram dâu tây.I want to buy one kilogram of strawberries.
- Em có muốn ăn dâu không?Do you want to eat strawberries?
- Tôi thích ăn dâu tây.I like eating strawberries.
- Dâu tây này rất ngọt.This strawberry is very sweet.
- Bạn có muốn mua dâu tây không?Do you want to buy strawberries?
Example conversation
Minh and Lan are at a fruit stall in a local market.
- MinhLan ơi, dâu tây ở đây trông tươi quá.Lan, the strawberries here look so fresh.
- LanĐúng vậy, chúng ta nên mua một ít.That's right, we should buy some.
- MinhAnh sẽ chọn những quả dâu tây ngon nhất.I will choose the best strawberries.
- LanCảm ơn anh nhé.Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “strawberry” translations and entries dâu tây, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dâu, dâu tây, tây, CC BY-SA 4.0.
