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tấm

Level ≈A2 (approx.) nounclassifier Top 1,000 most common
Hanoi [təm˧˦]Huế [təm˦˧˥]Saigon [təm˦˥] browser voice
Syllables · tones
tấmrisingsắc

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

tấm means broken or fractured rice grains.

Meanings of tấm in English

Noun

  1. broken or fractured rice grains
    • truyện Tấm CámThe Story of Tam and Cam (Broken-Rice and Rice-Bran) (ancient Vietnamese tale)

Classifier

  1. Used for large flat things, such as pieces of cloth (vải), planks (ván), boards (gỗ), pictures (ảnh, hình), mirrors (gương), etc.
  2. literary Used for small or seemingly insignificant things that are deemed valuable or worth cherishing.
    • tấm thânbody
    • tấm lòng vàngheart of gold
    • tấm chồnga husband (that is ideal, that one can rely on for one's livelihood)

Words with tấm

cơm tấmtấm tắc

Example sentences with tấm

  • Tớ còn phải bỏ tấm thảm đi. I still have to get rid of this carpet.
  • Tấm hình này nói lên tất cả. This picture says it all.
  • Tom mua một tấm vé tới Boston. Tom bought a ticket to Boston.
  • Tấm kính rơi xuống nhưng không vỡ. The glass fell but it did not break.
  • Cậu ta là tấm chiếu mới. He is ignorant of the world.
  • Tấm hình này có mới không? Is it a recent picture?
  • Có vết nứt trên tấm gương. There was a crack in the mirror.
  • Tôi chưa bao giờ thích tấm ảnh này. I never liked this photo.

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

Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)

Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, tấm could be written as 𥹀, 𥺑, 糝, 𤗲. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.

Usage note: tấm

tấm is the classifier for flat pieces that are a bit stiffer or more solid than paper.

  • tấm ảnh — photo: Anh chụp giúp em một tấm nhé? — Could you take a photo for me?
  • tấm vé — ticket; tấm thẻ — card
  • tấm bản đồ — a map; tấm gương — a mirror
  • tấm lòng — heart, kindness (figurative)

Notice how tấm alone can replace "photo" when context is clear: Chụp thêm một tấm nữa! — One more shot!

tấm gương also means "an example (to follow)": Ông ấy là tấm gương cho chúng tôi. — He is a role model for us.

Food lovers will know cơm tấm: rice made from broken grains, the classic Saigon breakfast with grilled pork. Here tấm means broken rice grains.

Etymology

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 糝 (SV: tảm).

Frequently asked questions

What does tấm mean in English?

tấm (noun) means "broken or fractured rice grains".

How do you pronounce tấm?

IPA: Hanoi [təm˧˦]; Saigon [təm˦˥]. Tones: tấm — rising tone (sắc).

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.