lầu xanh
noun
Hanoi [ləw˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧]Huế [ləw˦˩ sɛɲ˧˧]Saigon [ləw˨˩ san˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
lầu xanh means a brothel.
Meanings of lầu xanh in English
Noun
- literary a brothel
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, lầu xanh could be written as 楼撑, 楼青, 楼𫕹, 樓撑. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
lầu (“multistory building”) + xanh (“grue”), calque of Chinese 青樓 /青楼 (thanh lâu).
Frequently asked questions
What does lầu xanh mean in English?
lầu xanh (noun) means "a brothel".
How do you pronounce lầu xanh?
IPA: Hanoi [ləw˨˩ sajŋ̟˧˧]; Saigon [ləw˨˩ san˧˧]. Tones: lầu — falling tone (huyền), xanh — level tone (ngang).