trễ
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
trễ means late; tardy.
Meanings of trễ in English
Adjective
- Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam late; tardy ≈ muộn
- hanging; drooping; sagging
Words with trễ
Example sentences with trễ
- Tôi đã ăn bữa sáng trễ. I had a late breakfast.
- Vì cơn bão nên họ đã tới trễ. Owing to the storm, they arrived late.
- Tôi xin lỗi vì đã trả lời trễ. I'm sorry for the late response.
- Không bao giờ trễ quá để học hỏi. It is never too late to learn.
- Tay làm hàm nhai, tay quai miệng trễ. He who does not work, does not have the right to eat.
- Sao anh ấy trễ vậy? Why is he late?
- Mình ngủ dậy trễ lắm. I woke up really late.
- Chuyến tàu thường bị trễ. This train is often delayed.
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, trễ could be written as 𧜐. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Usage note: trễ
trễ means "late" — the everyday word in the South, where the North tends to say muộn. Both are understood nationwide.
- Em xin lỗi, em tới trễ. — Sorry, I'm late.
- Xe buýt bị trễ 20 phút. — The bus is 20 minutes late.
- Trễ rồi, đi ngủ đi. — It's late, go to bed.
Travel: chuyến bay bị trễ — the flight is delayed (also bị hoãn, bị delay in casual speech). trễ giờ — miss the time, be late for something.
Opposite: sớm (early). Sớm hay trễ? — Early or late?
In Vietnamese culture, being a little late to casual gatherings is common and not a big deal, but for business meetings and formal invitations, arriving on time (đúng giờ) is expected.
Different word: trễ also means "droop, sag" in some compounds (trễ nải — negligent, slack).
Frequently asked questions
What does trễ mean in English?
trễ (adjective) means "late; tardy".
How do you pronounce trễ?
IPA: Hanoi [t͡ɕe˦ˀ˥]; Saigon [ʈej˨˩˦]. Tones: trễ — creaky rising tone (ngã).