bến

Cognate with Muong Bi pển (“stream”), Tho [Cuối Thái Hoà] pen²⁴ ("river") (Nguyễn Hữu Hoành et al., 2022).

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓen˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓen˦˧˥]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʔɓəːn˦˥]

bến • (𣷷, 變, 𤅶)

1. port; wharf

   Bến Nhà Rồng ― Dragon Wharf, lit. Dragon House Wharf

2. (literary) the shore of a body of water
   • 1938, Hàn Mặc Tử, “Đây thôn Vĩ Dạ (Here is the Vĩ Dạ Hamlet)”, in Thơ điên (Mad Poems) / Đau thương (Agony):

     Thuyền ai đậu bến sông trăng đó,
     Có chở trăng về kịp tối nay?

     Someone's boat is moored at the moon[lit] river's shore there,
     Shall it take the moon[light] back timely tonight?

3. (by extension) station (place where a vehicle may stop)

   Bến xe Miền Đông ― Mien Dong Coach Station

• On land, large bến, such as Ho Chi Minh City's Mien Dong Coach Station, are stations where coaches and coach-vans used for inter-province travel can also park. Smaller bến are only specialized for numbered buses, carts and autorickshaws used for in-province travel or commute.
• Compare ga (“train station”).