Common Vietnamese color words
Màu means color. You can ask Màu gì? to ask what color something is. Start by naming objects around you, using the list as a reference. These words describe colors; they do not tell you how to pronounce an unfamiliar vowel or tone, so use a recording or a fluent speaker when learning the sounds.
- đỏ
- red
- vàng
- yellow
- xanh dương
- blue
- xanh lá cây
- green
- trắng
- white
- đen
- black
- hồng
- pink
- tím
- purple
- cam
- orange
- nâu
- brown
- xám
- gray
Why xanh can mean blue or green
Xanh on its own can refer to blue or green, with context helping the listener. To make a choice clear, say xanh dương for blue or xanh lá cây for green. Xanh da trời describes sky blue and xanh nước biển is another expression for blue. Do not assume that every use of xanh names exactly the same shade.
Put the color after the thing you describe
English often puts the color first, as in “red shirt.” In Vietnamese, the noun comes before its color: áo đỏ. You can also make a statement about an object with a color after it. In the examples below, này identifies the particular object as “this.”
- áo đỏ
- a red shirt; a noun phrase
- chiếc áo này màu xanh dương
- this shirt is blue; a statement
- cái túi màu đen
- the black bag; a noun phrase
Describe a color more precisely
Nhạt can describe a lighter or paler color and đậm a deeper or stronger color: xanh nhạt and xanh đậm. Choose an object, name its color, and then contrast it with another object. If the distinction matters when shopping, point to the item or show a sample as well as naming the color.
Try these examples
- đỏ
- red
No recording is available for this example yet.
- xanh dương
- blue
No recording is available for this example yet.
- xanh lá cây
- green
No recording is available for this example yet.
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