mẹ mày
The English phrase "your mom" can be translated into Vietnamese as mẹ mày. Wiktionary also lists mẹ mi.
Meaning: a general-purpose insult (intj)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| mẹ mày | |
| mẹ mi | [mɛ˧˨ʔ mi˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
In Vietnamese, this phrase serves as a general-purpose, low-effort and aggressive insult used to provoke or disrespect someone, much like its English equivalent.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mẹ mày is composed of mẹ (mother) and mày (you, informal/rude).
Which one should you use?
The form mẹ mày uses the pronoun mày, which is used for peers or subordinates and is considered rude or aggressive in an argument, while mẹ mi is a dialectal variation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The variation mẹ mi is a dialectal form often heard in Central Vietnam.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese culture, referring to someone's mother in an argument is a severe breach of filial piety, which is the cornerstone of social morality in the country.
- The word mày for 'you' is actually a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese word for 'eyebrows'.
- Using mày to address someone is so aggressive that it can escalate a minor disagreement into a physical fight almost instantly.
Examples in context
- Mẹ bạn thật là dễ thương!Your mom is so adorable!
Example conversation
Two teenagers are arguing aggressively in a hallway.
- NamMày nói gì cơ?What did you say?
- ChiMẹ mày.Your mom.
- NamMày muốn đánh nhau à?Do you want to fight?
- ChiThôi đi, mẹ mày.Whatever, your mom.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “your mom” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mẹ, mi) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mi, mày, mẹ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
