gà tây
[ɣaː˨˩ təj˧˧]
The English word turkey (the bird) is gà tây in Vietnamese.
The term gà tây refers to the bird in the genus Meleagris.
Meaning: bird in the genus Meleagris (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term gà tây literally translates to "Western chicken", where gà means chicken and tây means West/Western.
Which one should you use?
Use gà tây for the bird and Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ for the country to avoid confusion, as they are completely different words in Vietnamese.
Related words
Did you know?
- The slang use of gà to mean 'inexperienced' is believed to have originated from rankings in the video game 'Gunbound'.
- In modern Vietnamese slang, the word gà can mean 'inexperienced' or 'noob'.
- While gà tây is the standard term, the phrase uses gà as a generic category for various fowl-like birds introduced from abroad.
Examples in context
- Con gà tây này rất to.This turkey is very big.
- Tôi muốn mua một con gà tây.I want to buy a turkey.
- Gà tây thường được ăn vào dịp lễ.Turkey is often eaten during holidays.
Example conversation
Hùng and Hương are discussing food for a holiday dinner.
- HùngChúng ta nên mua gà tây cho bữa tối.We should buy a turkey for dinner.
- HươngÝ kiến hay đó, Hùng.That is a great idea, Hùng.
- HùngHương có biết chỗ nào bán gà tây ngon không?Do you know where to buy a tasty turkey, Hương?
- HươngTôi biết một cửa hàng gần đây.I know a shop nearby.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turkey” translations and entries gà tây, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gà, gà tây, tây, CC BY-SA 4.0.
