gừng càng già càng cay
proverb
Hanoi [ɣɨŋ˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ zaː˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ kaj˧˧]Huế [ɣɨŋ˦˩ kaːŋ˦˩ jaː˦˩ kaːŋ˦˩ kaj˧˧]Saigon [ɣɨŋ˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ jaː˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ ka(ː)j˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
gừng càng già càng cay means the older a person is; the wiser they are.
Meanings of gừng càng già càng cay in English
Proverb
- idiomatic the older a person is, the wiser they are; a person is more and more experienced as they age ≈ mèo già hoá cáo
Etymology
Calque of Chinese 薑越老越辣 /姜越老越辣 (khương việt lão việt lạt).
Frequently asked questions
What does gừng càng già càng cay mean in English?
gừng càng già càng cay (proverb) means "the older a person is; the wiser they are".
How do you pronounce gừng càng già càng cay?
IPA: Hanoi [ɣɨŋ˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ zaː˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ kaj˧˧]; Saigon [ɣɨŋ˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ jaː˨˩ kaːŋ˨˩ ka(ː)j˧˧]. Tones: gừng — falling tone (huyền), càng — falling tone (huyền), già — falling tone (huyền), càng — falling tone (huyền), cay — level tone (ngang).