ba que xỏ lá
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
ba que xỏ lá means cheating and caddish; wicked and malicious; deceitful.
Meanings of ba que xỏ lá in English
Phrase
- figurative, idiomatic cheating and caddish; wicked and malicious; deceitful; roguish
- derogatory, figurative, idiomatic Relating to the former Republic of Vietnam.
- tàn quân ba que xỏ lásoldiers of the three-sticks-through-leaf (South Vietnam soldiers)
Etymology
ba que (literally “three sticks”) + xỏ lá (literally “to pierce through the leaf”), i.e. “piercing through a leaf with three sticks”. Said to have taken its origin from a trick game during the French colonial period. The second sense is in reference to the flag of South Vietnam, which features three red stripes on a yellow background, as if the flag was a yellow leaf with three reddish-brown sticks piercing through.
Frequently asked questions
What does ba que xỏ lá mean in English?
ba que xỏ lá (phrase) means "cheating and caddish; wicked and malicious; deceitful".
How do you pronounce ba que xỏ lá?
IPA: Hanoi [ʔɓaː˧˧ kwɛ˧˧ sɔ˧˩ laː˧˦]; Saigon [ʔɓaː˧˧ wɛ˧˧ sɔ˨˩˦ laː˦˥]. Tones: ba — level tone (ngang), que — level tone (ngang), xỏ — dipping tone (hỏi), lá — rising tone (sắc).