bóng đèn

Level ≈B2 (approx.) noun Top 5,000 most common

Hanoi [ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦ ʔɗɛn˨˩]Huế [ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˧˥ ʔɗɛŋ˦˩]Saigon [ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥ ʔɗɛŋ˨˩] browser voice

Syllables · tones

bóngrisingsắc đènfallinghuyền

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

bóng đèn means light bulb; third wheel.

Classifier: cái, chiếc — e.g. một cái bóng đèn (one light bulb)

Meanings of bóng đèn in English

Noun

light bulb
slang third wheel

Example sentences with bóng đèn

Cái bóng đèn này bao nhiêu tiền? How much does this light bulb cost?

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Etymology

bóng (“ball”) + đèn (“light”).

Frequently asked questions

What does bóng đèn mean in English?

bóng đèn (noun) means "light bulb; third wheel".

How do you pronounce bóng đèn?

IPA: Hanoi [ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦ ʔɗɛn˨˩]; Saigon [ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥ ʔɗɛŋ˨˩]. Tones: bóng — rising tone (sắc), đèn — falling tone (huyền).

What classifier is used with bóng đèn?

Common classifiers: cái, chiếc — for example "một cái bóng đèn" (one light bulb).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.