How do you say “backward” in Vietnamese?

“Backward” in Vietnamese is ngược lại (on the contrary), lạc hậu (backward).

Vietnamese words for “backward”

• ngược lạiListenadverb
  Hanoi [ŋɨək̚˧˨ʔ laːj˧˨ʔ] · Saigon [ŋɨək̚˨˩˨ laːj˨˩˨]ngược heavy lại heavy

  on the contrary; conversely; instead

  for “backward” meaning: At, near or towards the rear of something.

• lạc hậuListenadjective
  Hanoi [laːk̚˧˨ʔ həw˧˨ʔ] · Saigon [laːk̚˨˩˨ həw˨˩˨]lạc heavy hậu heavy

  backward; underdeveloped

Related Vietnamese words

• tụt hậuListenadjective

  backward; undeveloped

• hắc ámListenadjective

  dark; unlighted

• ngượcListenadjective

  reverse; contrary

• lùiListenverb

  to move backward; to step back; to retreat

• chậm tiếnListenadjective

  underdeveloped; primitive

Translations matched from English Wiktionary (translation tables and Vietnamese entries, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0) and the NgonNgu English–Vietnamese dictionary, reviewed and edited; examples from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice.