bất ngờ
[ʔɓət̚˧˦ ŋəː˨˩]
In Vietnamese, the English phrase surprise is expressed as bất ngờ.
bất ngờ is used to describe the feeling that something unexpected has happened. To express that something is a surprise in the sense of causing surprise to someone, you can use the phrase gây bất ngờ.
Meaning: feeling that something unexpected has happened (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word bất ngờ is composed of bất, meaning not or un- and ngờ, meaning to expect or to suspect. It literally means unexpected or a sudden surprise.
Which one should you use?
While bất ngờ emphasizes the unexpected nature of an event, the related term ngạc nhiên focuses more on the emotional state of being surprised or amazed.
Did you know?
- The character ngờ originates from the Chinese character 疑, which can also mean to doubt or to be suspicious.
- While bất ngờ is a general term, Vietnamese uses specific different words for surprise depending on whether the feeling is positive, like vui mừng, or negative, like hốt hoảng.
- The term bất ngờ can function as both an adjective and an adverb without changing its form, depending on where it sits in the sentence.
Examples in context
- Tuyết vào mùa hè thực sự là một điều bất ngờ.Snow in summer is really a surprise.This sentence shows how to use bất ngờ to describe a surprising event.Tatoeba #11353643 by chaule3, translation #11353640 by chaule3
- Tôi bất ngờ vì anh ta lại kết hôn với một nữ diễn viên rất xinh đẹp.To my surprise, he got married to a very beautiful actress.This sentence illustrates how to use bất ngờ to express being surprised by an action.Tatoeba #1542998 by Aomori, translation #18911 by CK
- Tôi thật sự kinh ngạc khi nhìn thấy quà tặng của bạn.I was truly surprised when I saw your gift.
- Cô ấy bất ngờ đạt được thành tích rất tốt trong cuộc thi.She achieved excellent results in the competition unexpectedly.
- Anh ta thấy rất bất ngờ khi biết tin này.He was very surprised when he heard this news.
- Món quà này là một sự bất ngờ lớn.This gift is a big surprise.
Example conversation
Minh and Huong are at a birthday party.
- MinhChúc mừng sinh nhật Hương!Happy birthday, Huong!
- HươngCảm ơn Minh, thật là một sự bất ngờ!Thank you, Minh, it is such a surprise!
- MinhAnh hy vọng em sẽ thích nó.I hope you like it.
- HươngEm rất thích món quà này.I really love this gift.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bất ngờ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bất ngờ, ngờ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
