thảm hại

adjective

Hanoi [tʰaːm˧˩ haːj˧˨ʔ]Huế [tʰaːm˧˨ haːj˨˩ʔ]Saigon [tʰaːm˨˩˦ haːj˨˩˨] browser voice

Syllables · tones

thảmdippinghỏi hạiheavynặng

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

thảm hại means pitiful; wretched.

Meanings of thảm hại in English

Adjective

pitiful; wretched
pathetic (arousing scorn or contempt)

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 慘 and 害.

Frequently asked questions

What does thảm hại mean in English?

thảm hại (adjective) means "pitiful; wretched".

How do you pronounce thảm hại?

IPA: Hanoi [tʰaːm˧˩ haːj˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [tʰaːm˨˩˦ haːj˨˩˨]. Tones: thảm — dipping tone (hỏi), hại — heavy tone (nặng).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited. IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.