muốn ăn thì lăn vào bếp
Vietnamese
Etymology
Literally, “If you want to eat, then roll into the kitchen”.
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [muən˧˦ ʔan˧˧ tʰi˨˩ lan˧˧ vaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˧˦]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [muəŋ˦˧˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˦˩ laŋ˧˧ vaːw˦˩ ʔɓep̚˦˧˥]
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [muəŋ˦˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˨˩ laŋ˧˧ vaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˦˥] ~ [muəŋ˦˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˨˩ laŋ˧˧ jaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˦˥]
Phrase
- (idiomatic, humorous) if you are hungry, then you ought to cook for yourself, not waiting for others
- (idiomatic, by extension) if you want to have something, take the initiative