lấy lệ

adverb

Hanoi [ləj˧˦ le˧˨ʔ]Huế [ləj˨˩˦ lej˨˩ʔ]Saigon [ləj˦˥ lej˨˩˨] browser voice

Syllables · tones

lấyrisingsắc lệheavynặng

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

lấy lệ means perfunctorily.

Meanings of lấy lệ in English

Adverb

perfunctorily (performed out of routine, with little care) ≈ chiếu lệ đối phó
- Lương bèo thế này thì tao chỉ làm lấy lệ thôi.I get paid jack, so I just phone it in.

Etymology

lấy (“to take”) + lệ (“example”), calque of Chinese 照例 (chiếu lệ, “by common sense”).

Frequently asked questions

What does lấy lệ mean in English?

lấy lệ (adverb) means "perfunctorily".

How do you pronounce lấy lệ?

IPA: Hanoi [ləj˧˦ le˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [ləj˦˥ lej˨˩˨]. Tones: lấy — rising tone (sắc), lệ — heavy tone (nặng).

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