bí thơ
noun Sino-Vietnamese
Hanoi [ʔɓi˧˦ tʰəː˧˧]Huế [ʔɓɪj˨˩˦ tʰəː˧˧]Saigon [ʔɓɪj˦˥ tʰəː˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
bí thơ means a secretary.
Also spelled bí thư — same word, same meaning.
Chinese characters: 秘書
Meanings of bí thơ in English
Noun
- a secretary
- bí thư tỉnh uỷ/thành uỷthe secretary of a provincial committee/committee of a thành phố trực thuộc trung ương of the Communist Party
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 秘書, Chinese 秘書 /秘书 (mìshū, “non-communist secretary”). Compare thư kí (“non-communist secretary”). Vietnamese uses an opposite distinction to Chinese's as to whether the secretary in question works for the communist government or not.
Frequently asked questions
What does bí thơ mean in English?
bí thơ (noun) means "a secretary".
How do you pronounce bí thơ?
IPA: Hanoi [ʔɓi˧˦ tʰəː˧˧]; Saigon [ʔɓɪj˦˥ tʰəː˧˧]. Tones: bí — rising tone (sắc), thơ — level tone (ngang).
Is bí thơ a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. bí thơ is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 秘書.