mạt cưa mướp đắng
noun
Hanoi [maːt̚˧˨ʔ kɨə˧˧ mɨəp̚˧˦ ʔɗaŋ˧˦]Huế [maːk̚˨˩ʔ kɨə˧˧ mɨəp̚˦˧˥ ʔɗaŋ˦˧˥]Saigon [maːk̚˨˩˨ kɨə˧˧ mɨəp̚˦˥ ʔɗaŋ˦˥] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
mạt cưa mướp đắng means deceiver; swindler; fraudster.
Meanings of mạt cưa mướp đắng in English
Noun
- idiomatic deceiver, swindler, fraudster, scammer
Etymology
Compound of mạt cưa (“sawdust”) + mướp đắng (“bitter melon”), from a folktale about how two fraudulent merchants - one selling sawdust as bran and another selling bitter melons as cucumbers - ended up defrauded by one another.
Frequently asked questions
What does mạt cưa mướp đắng mean in English?
mạt cưa mướp đắng (noun) means "deceiver; swindler; fraudster".
How do you pronounce mạt cưa mướp đắng?
IPA: Hanoi [maːt̚˧˨ʔ kɨə˧˧ mɨəp̚˧˦ ʔɗaŋ˧˦]; Saigon [maːk̚˨˩˨ kɨə˧˧ mɨəp̚˦˥ ʔɗaŋ˦˥]. Tones: mạt — heavy tone (nặng), cưa — level tone (ngang), mướp — rising tone (sắc), đắng — rising tone (sắc).