ba ba ấp bóng
phrase
Hanoi [ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔəp̚˧˦ ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦]Huế [ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔəp̚˦˧˥ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˧˥]Saigon [ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔəp̚˦˥ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
Meanings of ba ba ấp bóng in English
Phrase
- idiomatic doing something that is futile and pointless
Etymology
Literally, “soft-shell turtle broods its shadow”. This is referring to the fact that, turtles don't actually have to brood their eggs, but still linger near them for a while in order to keep guard or simply to bask under the sun.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce ba ba ấp bóng?
IPA: Hanoi [ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔəp̚˧˦ ʔɓawŋ͡m˧˦]; Saigon [ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔɓaː˧˧ ʔəp̚˦˥ ʔɓawŋ͡m˦˥]. Tones: ba — level tone (ngang), ba — level tone (ngang), ấp — rising tone (sắc), bóng — rising tone (sắc).