bóc lịch

Vietnamese

Etymology

Compound of bóc +‎ lịch, literally tear pages off days calendars [as someone counts their days in prison].

Pronunciation

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔɓawk͡p̚˧˦ lïk̟̚˧˨ʔ]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔɓawk͡p̚˦˧˥ lɨt̚˨˩ʔ]
  • (Saigon) IPA(key): [ʔɓawk͡p̚˦˥ lɨt̚˨˩˨]

Verb

bóc lịch

  1. (slang) to be in prison; to do time