Việt Nam
/viət˨˨ naːm˧˥/
The English phrase 'Vietnam' is translated into Vietnamese as Việt Nam.
Việt Nam is the standard and most widely used term for the country. For the official name, you may use Nước Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam, which means Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Meaning: country in Southeast Asia (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The name Việt Nam is composed of two parts: Việt refers to the Viet people and Nam means South, literally translating to 'Viet South'.
Which one should you use?
While Việt Nam is the standard name, you might encounter Xứ Việt, which means 'land of Vietnam' and is used in a poetic way. In casual contexts like social media or texting, the abbreviation VN is often used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
When discussing specific parts of the country, you may use Miền Bắc to refer to Northern Vietnam.
How do you pronounce it?
/viət˨˨ naːm˧˥/
Did you know?
- While the official name is very long, the term nước used in Nước Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam literally means 'water'.
- The name Việt Nam was specifically ordered to be flipped from Nam Việt by the Qing dynasty. This change was made to ensure the Vietnamese empire did not claim territories in southern China.
- In Vietnamese, nam can mean 'south' but it is also a homonym for the word meaning 'male'.
Examples in context
- Tôi yêu Việt Nam.I love Vietnam.This sentence is useful for expressing affection for Việt Nam.Tatoeba #9859276 by sunlight2020, translation #9859279 by sunlight2020
- Úc ở rất xa Việt Nam.Australia is very far from Vietnam.This sentence is useful for noting the distance between Australia and Việt Nam.Tatoeba #11278026 by chaule3, translation #11278025 by chaule3
- Thủ đô của Việt Nam là Hà Nội.The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi.This sentence is useful for identifying the capital of Việt Nam.Tatoeba #13385289 by Trong_Dang, translation #3196783 by mervert1
- Tôi đến từ Việt Nam, một đất nước nổi tiếng với đa dạng văn hóa.I come from Vietnam, a country famous for its diverse culture.
- Mình đi du lịch đến VN rồi, thấy cảnh đẹp lắm!I traveled to VN (Vietnam) and the scenery was stunning!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hùng and Hương are talking about their upcoming vacation.
- HùngBạn có muốn đi du lịch Việt Nam không?Do you want to travel to Viet Nam?
- HươngTôi rất muốn đi Việt Nam.I really want to go to Viet Nam.
- HùngViệt Nam có nhiều cảnh đẹp lắm.Viet Nam has many beautiful scenes.
- HươngĐúng vậy, tôi sẽ chuẩn bị hành lý.That's right, I will prepare my luggage.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vietnam” translations and entries Việt Nam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nam, Việt, Việt Nam, nam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
