ngàn cân treo sợi tóc
phrase
Hanoi [ŋaːn˨˩ kən˧˧ t͡ɕɛw˧˧ səːj˧˨ʔ tawk͡p̚˧˦]Huế [ŋaːŋ˦˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ ʂəːj˨˩ʔ tawk͡p̚˦˧˥]Saigon [ŋaːŋ˨˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ ʂəːj˨˩˨ tawk͡p̚˦˥] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
ngàn cân treo sợi tóc means precarious; on thin ice.
Meanings of ngàn cân treo sợi tóc in English
Phrase
- idiomatic precarious, on thin ice
Etymology
Probably a calque of Chinese 千鈞一髮 /千钧一发 (thiên quán nhất phát); literally: “A thousand jun hangs from a strip of hair.”
Frequently asked questions
What does ngàn cân treo sợi tóc mean in English?
ngàn cân treo sợi tóc (phrase) means "precarious; on thin ice".
How do you pronounce ngàn cân treo sợi tóc?
IPA: Hanoi [ŋaːn˨˩ kən˧˧ t͡ɕɛw˧˧ səːj˧˨ʔ tawk͡p̚˧˦]; Saigon [ŋaːŋ˨˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ ʂəːj˨˩˨ tawk͡p̚˦˥]. Tones: ngàn — falling tone (huyền), cân — level tone (ngang), treo — level tone (ngang), sợi — heavy tone (nặng), tóc — rising tone (sắc).