hẹp hòi
adjective
Hanoi [hɛp̚˧˨ʔ hɔj˨˩]Huế [hɛp̚˨˩ʔ hɔj˦˩]Saigon [hɛp̚˨˩˨ hɔj˨˩] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
hẹp hòi means narrow-minded; petty.
Meanings of hẹp hòi in English
Adjective
- narrow-minded; petty
Example sentences with hẹp hòi
- Cô ấy hẹp hòi. She's narrow-minded.
Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, hẹp hòi could be written as 狹囘, 狹徊, 狹𤞑. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
hẹp (“narrow”) + hòi (“(archaic) narrow”), the latter is attested in Từ điển Việt–Bồ–La (1651) as a standalone adjective.
Frequently asked questions
What does hẹp hòi mean in English?
hẹp hòi (adjective) means "narrow-minded; petty".
How do you pronounce hẹp hòi?
IPA: Hanoi [hɛp̚˧˨ʔ hɔj˨˩]; Saigon [hɛp̚˨˩˨ hɔj˨˩]. Tones: hẹp — heavy tone (nặng), hòi — falling tone (huyền).