phê

Level ≈B2 (approx.) adjectiveverb Sino-Vietnamese Top 5,000 most common

Hanoi [fe˧˧]Huế [fej˧˧]Saigon [fej˧˧] browser voice

Syllables · tones

phêlevelngang

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

phê means very satisfied; elated; ecstatic.

Chinese characters: 批

Meanings of phê in English

Adjective

slang very satisfied (especially by drugs); elated; ecstatic; high
- phê như con tê têas high as a pangolin

Verb

slang to be intoxicated (with); to be high (on)

Verb

to comment; to give remarks or comments
abbreviation, colloquial short for phê bình (“to criticise”)

Words with phê

phê bình phê chuẩn phê duyệt phê phán phê cỏ phê điểm

Example sentences with phê

Họ đã phê thuốc tại bữa tiệc. They got stoned at the party.
Ca-phê-in là một loại chất gây nghiện. Caffeine is an addictive drug.
Anh ta đang phê, phải không? He's high, isn't he?

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

Etymology

Perhaps from French fée (“fairy; fay”) or French effet (“effect”). Also compare the etymology of cà phê.

Frequently asked questions

What does phê mean in English?

phê (adjective) means "very satisfied; elated; ecstatic".

How do you pronounce phê?

IPA: Hanoi [fe˧˧]; Saigon [fej˧˧]. Tones: phê — level tone (ngang).

Is phê a Sino-Vietnamese word?

Yes. phê is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 批.

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.