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đắt
/ʔɗat̚˧˦/
expensive
Cái áo này đắt quá!
This shirt is too expensive!
neutral
costing a lot of money; high in price
Nhà này đắt lắm, không mua nổi.
This house is too expensive; I can't afford it.
Vé xem phim hôm nay đắt hơn ngày thường.
Tickets for today's movie are more expensive than usual.
Commonly used in everyday conversation to describe prices. Can also imply 'precious' or 'valuable' in some contexts (e.g., 'thời gian quý như vàng, rất đắt').
Pro Tip
Distinguish 'đắt' and 'mắc'
'Đắt' is more formal and widely used in Northern Vietnam, while 'mắc' is colloquial and dominant in the South. Both mean 'expensive.'
Gold Rule
Price vs. Value
Use 'đắt' for high prices, but 'đắt' can also imply high value (e.g., 'thời gian rất đắt' = 'time is precious'). Context determines the nuance.
Word Origin
From Proto-Vietic *ɗat (to be expensive), related to Muong *ɗat and other Vietic languages. No clear connection to Chinese or other languages.
Usage Notes
Used for both tangible items (e.g., goods, houses) and intangible things (e.g., time, experiences). In Southern Vietnam, 'mắc' is more commonly used as a synonym.
Word Breakdown
đắt
expensive
rootTừ Điển Việt Anh