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As introduced in Lesson 3, in Vietnamese, basically one syllable constitutes one word.
Words that consist of only one syllable are called “từ đơn” (Simple words) (e.g., “ba” [father] and “mẹ” [mother]). Words made up of two or more syllables are called “từ phức” (Complex words).
Furthermore, “từ phức” (Complex words) can be divided into two types as follows:
● Từ ghép (Compound words): A combination of two or more words, each of which has its own meaning.
Examples: khỏe mạnh (healthy and strong), máy bay (airplane), ăn uống (eating and drinking)
● Từ láy (Reduplicative words): A combination of two or more words where the initial consonant or the vowel and final consonant are repeated.
Either only one of the words has a meaning, or neither has a meaning on its own, but they gain meaning when combined.
Examples: rào rào (the sound of pouring rain), lấp lánh (sparkling/twinkling), xanh xao (pale due to illness)
| Vietnamese Words | ||
| từ đơn (Simple words) Words made of one syllable |
từ phức (Complex words) Words made of two or more syllables |
|
| từ ghép (Compound words) Combination of two or more meaningful words |
từ láy (Reduplicative words) Combination of two or more words repeating phonetic elements |
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Classification of Vietnamese Words
Onomatopoeia and Mimetic Words
Like English, Vietnamese also has onomatopoeia (words that represent sounds, such as animal noises) and mimetic words (words that describe the state or appearance of things). Most of these onomatopoeic and mimetic words in Vietnamese belong to the aforementioned “từ láy” category.
Examples of Onomatopoeia and Mimetic Words
| Onomatopoeia | Meaning | Mimetic Words | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| xào xạc (Adv) | Rustling sound Ex: Lá rơi xào xạc. (Leaves fall rustling.) |
sặc sỡ (Adj) | Bright, gaudy Ex: màu sắc sặc sỡ (bright and gaudy colors) |
| khúc khích (Adv) | Giggling sound Ex: Em bé cười khúc khích. (The baby giggles.) |
gập ghềnh (Adj) | Bumpy, rough Ex: đường gập ghềnh (a bumpy road) |
| ào ào (Adv) | Sound of pouring Ex: Mưa rơi ào ào. (The rain pours down heavily.) |
lấp lánh (Adv) | Sparkling, twinkling Ex: đèn sáng lấp lánh (lights shining brightly/sparkling) |
| líu lo (Adv) | Chirping/tweeting sound Ex: Chim hót líu lo. (Birds are chirping.) |
lộn xộn (Adj) | Messy, chaotic Ex: phòng lộn xộn (a messy room) |
| ầm ầm (Adv) | Loud rumbling noise Ex: Máy chạy ầm ầm. (The machine runs with a loud rumble.) |
nhẹ nhàng (Adj) | Gentle, soft Ex: cô ấy là người nhẹ nhàng (she is a gentle person) |