bà
Bà tôi năm nay 70 tuổi.
我奶奶今年七十岁。
paternal or maternal grandmother
Bà nội tôi sống ở quê.
我奶奶住在乡下。
Bà ngoại tôi là giáo viên.
我外婆是老师。
Used for both paternal (bà nội) and maternal (bà ngoại) grandmothers. In Southern Vietnam, 'bà' alone often refers to any elderly woman out of respect.
elderly woman; old lady
Người bà ấy bán rau ở chợ.
那位老太太在市场卖菜。
Polite term for an elderly woman, often used in rural or traditional settings.
a term of address for an older woman (respected or unfamiliar)
Bà ơi, cho cháu mượn quyển sách nhé!
奶奶，借我一本书好吗？
Commonly used to address older women in a respectful manner, similar to 'auntie' in English.
a title for a married woman of older generation (e.g., wife of one's uncle)
Bà cô tôi là chị của bố tôi.
我姑姑是我爸爸的姐姐。
Used for the wife of one's uncle (paternal or maternal).
相关短语
专业提示
Distinguishing 'bà' and 'cụ'
'Bà' refers to one's grandmother or an elderly woman, while 'cụ' is a respectful term for someone of the grandparent's generation but not necessarily a direct ancestor (e.g., a neighbor or family friend).
黄金法则
Respectful Address
Use 'bà' to address elderly women respectfully, similar to 'madam' or 'auntie' in English. Avoid using it for younger women unless in a familial or very close context.
词源
From Proto-Vietic *ʔbaː, ultimately from Proto-Mon-Khmer *ʔbaːʔ (elder, ancestor). Related to Muong 'bà' and Khmer 'បាត់' (băt, elder).
用法说明
In Northern Vietnam, 'bà' is used for both paternal and maternal grandmothers, while Southern Vietnamese may distinguish 'bà nội' (paternal) and 'bà ngoại' (maternal). Used as a respectful term for elderly women regardless of relation.