ruồi bâu kiến đậu

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

  • (Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam) ruồi bu kiến đậu

Etymology

Literally, “[Where] flies and ants gather”.

Since the two verbs bâu and đậu are clearly meant to rhyme, this saying certainly originated from Northern Vietnam after the diphthongization of bâu. Borrowed by Central and Southern dialects with Northern bâu replaced with native undiphthongized bu, which broke the rhyme.

Pronunciation

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [zuəj˨˩ ʔɓəw˧˧ kiən˧˦ ʔɗəw˧˨ʔ]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [ʐuj˦˩ ʔɓəw˧˧ kiəŋ˦˧˥ ʔɗəw˨˩ʔ]
  • (Saigon) IPA(key): [ɹuj˨˩ ʔɓəw˧˧ kiəŋ˦˥ ʔɗəw˨˩˨]

Verb

ruồi bâu kiến đậu

  1. (Northern Vietnam, idiomatic, chiefly of food) to let unattended and expose to the elements
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