tiếc

Level ≈A2 (approx.) verb Top 3,000 most common

Hanoi [tiək̚˧˦]Huế [tiək̚˦˧˥]Saigon [tiək̚˦˥] browser voice

Syllables · tones

tiếcrisingsắc

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

tiếc means to regret; to regret having lost.

Meanings of tiếc in English

Verb

to regret (feel sorry about some past thing)
to regret having lost (something)
- tiếc hùi hụito deeply regret having lost something
- tiếc củato regret having lost something of value
- Tiếc cái ti-vi quá đi !Dang, that was a nice TV!

Words with tiếc

đáng tiếc hối tiếc nuối tiếc thương tiếc tiếc nuối

Example sentences with tiếc

Tiếc rằng cái đó là sự thật. It is unfortunately true.
Quá tiếc khi bạn không biết nó. It is a great pity that you don't know it.
Tôi rất tiếc khi nghe chuyện này. I'm sorry to hear it.
Rất tiếc, nhưng tôi không hiểu. I'm sorry, but I don't understand.
Tôi rất tiếc, cô ấy không có ở đây. I'm sorry she's not here.
Chúng tôi rất tiếc về việc đã xảy ra. We're sorry about it.
Tôi lấy làm tiếc tôi không thể giúp được. I'm sorry I can't help.
Tôi rất tiếc vì đã để bạn tốn nhiều tiền. I'm sorry to put you to such great expense.

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

Etymology

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 惜 (“to cherish; to regret”, SV: tích).

Frequently asked questions

What does tiếc mean in English?

tiếc (verb) means "to regret; to regret having lost".

How do you pronounce tiếc?

IPA: Hanoi [tiək̚˧˦]; Saigon [tiək̚˦˥]. Tones: tiếc — 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.