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kiếm sống

Level ≈B2 (approx.) verb Top 5,000 most common
Hanoi [kiəm˧˦ səwŋ͡m˧˦]Huế [kiəm˦˧˥ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˧˥]Saigon [kim˦˥ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˥] browser voice
Syllables · tones
kiếmrisingsắcsốngrisingsắc

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

kiếm sống means to make a living; to earn one's daily bread.

Meanings of kiếm sống in English

Verb

  1. to make a living; to earn one's daily bread
    • Anh định làm gì để kiếm sống?What will you do for a living?
    • làm lụng cực nhọc để kiếm sốngto toil away to earn one's living
    • kiếm sống bấp bênh bằng nghề thợ hồto earn a precarious living as a mason

Example sentences with kiếm sống

  • Đó là cách Tom kiếm sống. That's how Tom makes his living.
  • Mary kiếm sống bằng nghề dạy tiếng Anh. Mary teaches English for a living.
  • Người dân còn không thể kiếm sống được trong thành phố này. The people can't even afford to make ends meet in this city.
  • John, đứa lớn nhất, một chú bé mười hai tuổi mập mạp, có thể kiếm sống với bất kỳ người làm nông nào. John, the oldest, a boy of twelve, was a stout lad, able to earn his living with any farmer.

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Etymology

kiếm + sống.

Frequently asked questions

What does kiếm sống mean in English?

kiếm sống (verb) means "to make a living; to earn one's daily bread".

How do you pronounce kiếm sống?

IPA: Hanoi [kiəm˧˦ səwŋ͡m˧˦]; Saigon [kim˦˥ ʂəwŋ͡m˦˥]. Tones: kiếm — rising tone (sắc), sống — rising tone (sắc).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.