How to Say "Words" in Vietnamese

từ ngữ

The English phrase "words" is translated into Vietnamese as từ ngữ.

từ ngữ is a general term used to refer to the elements of a language used to communicate.

What does it mean word for word?

This term is composed of từ (word) and ngữ (language/speech/context).

While từ ngữ refers to words as a collective concept or vocabulary, từ is the specific term for a single word.

The word từ is a massive homonym in Vietnamese. Depending on the tone and character, it can mean 'word', 'from', 'ancestral temple', 'magnetism' or 'to renounce'.
In Vietnamese, a single 'word' từ is often made up of multiple syllables, creating a linguistic distinction between a 'word' từ and a 'sound' or 'syllable' tiếng.
Because Vietnamese uses tones, the word từ can change its meaning entirely to 'renounce' or 'give up' based on the pitch used.

Chúng ta dùng chung từ ngữ, nhưng lại nói về những điều khác nhau.
We're using the same words, but talking about different things.
This sentence demonstrates using từ ngữ to describe people using the same vocabulary to discuss different topics.
Tatoeba #13901198 by leucammieuvu, translation #13076853 by rul
Tôn giáo giống như ngôn ngữ vậy. Các tôn giáo dùng những từ ngữ khác nhau để diễn tả cùng một khái niệm.
Religions are like languages. They use different words to signify the same concept.
This sentence shows how different religions may use different từ ngữ to express the same concept.
Tatoeba #13921337 by leucammieuvu, translation #13919954 by rul

Nam and Chi are discussing a poem in a cafe.

Nam

Bài thơ này có những từ ngữ rất đẹp.
This poem has very beautiful words.
Chi

Đúng vậy, tôi cũng thấy thế.
That's true, I think so too.
Nam

Bạn có thích cách tác giả dùng từ ngữ không?
Do you like the way the author uses words?
Chi

Có, nó rất giàu cảm xúc.
Yes, it is very emotional.

Sources

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