từ
[tɨ˨˩]
In Vietnamese, "word" is translated as từ. Wiktionary also lists lời and nhời.
Meaning: unit of language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| từ | [tɨ˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tɨ˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| lời | [ləːj˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ləːj˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| nhời | [ɲəːj˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ɲəːj˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| tiếng | [tiəŋ˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tiəŋ˦˧˥] (Huế, narrow) |
The term từ is used when referring to a word as a discrete linguistic unit or a specific item in a vocabulary. It is also used in compound words to denote a specific lexical item, such as từ vựng (vocabulary).
Which one should you use?
The Vietnamese language uses different words depending on how you are viewing the "word": * từ refers to a word as a linguistic unit or a vocabulary item. * lời refers to the content or the meaning of what is spoken, such as lyrics or words of encouragement. * tiếng refers to a word in the sense of a sound, a syllable or a spoken utterance.
Related words
Did you know?
- The word từ is a linguistic chameleon that can mean 'word', 'from', 'ancestral temple', or even 'magnetism' depending on its Chinese origin.
- While từ refers to a linguistic unit, tiếng often refers to a single syllable, which is surprising because many Vietnamese 'words' are actually just one syllable long.
- The variant nhời is a relic of coastal Northern dialects that evolved through the loss of a labial sound.
Examples in context
- Hãy chọn từ đúng!Choose the right word!This sentence is useful for practicing the instruction to choose the right từ.Tatoeba #9037689 by dotheduyet1999, translation #4556650 by dbahasa
- Tom rất ghét từ đó.Tom hates that word.This sentence shows the use of từ to express dislike for a specific word.Tatoeba #8966884 by dotheduyet1999, translation #4499255 by CK
- Từ này khó phát âm.This word is difficult to pronounce.This sentence demonstrates how to describe the difficulty of pronouncing a từ.Tatoeba #13726683 by leucammieuvu, translation #57961 by CK
- Xin cảm ơnThank you
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lan and Hung are studying a foreign language together.
- LanHùng ơi, từ này nghĩa là gì?Hung, what does this word mean?
- HùngĐể mình tra từ điển xem nhé.Let me check the dictionary.
- LanTừ này có vẻ rất phổ biến.This word seems very common.
- HùngĐúng rồi, Lan nên nhớ từ này.That's right, Lan should remember this word.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “word” translations and entries từ, lời, nhời, tiếng, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lời, từ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
