tiêu
Mẹ nêm thêm một chút tiêu vào món canh.
Mom added a little pepper to the soup.
A small, round, black, white, or green spice used to flavor food.
Món phở này thiếu tiêu thì không ngon.
This pho dish lacks pepper and isn't tasty.
Cô ấy thích dùng tiêu xay thay vì tiêu nguyên hạt.
She prefers ground pepper over whole peppercorns.
In Vietnamese cuisine, 'tiêu' can refer to black pepper (Piper nigrum) or other types like white pepper. It is commonly used in both powdered and whole forms.
To spend money or consume resources.
Anh ấy tiêu hết tiền lương trong vài ngày.
He spent all his salary in a few days.
Cô ấy tiêu rất thoải mái khi mua sắm.
She spends freely when shopping.
Often used in informal contexts to describe excessive or careless spending.
To excrete waste from the body.
Sau khi ăn đồ cay, anh ấy phải đi tiêu nhiều lần.
After eating spicy food, he had to go to the toilet many times.
A euphemistic term for defecation, commonly used in everyday language.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing senses of 'tiêu'
Pay attention to context: if 'tiêu' is paired with food-related words (e.g., 'món canh', 'thịt'), it likely refers to pepper. If it's about money or consumption, it means 'to spend'. For bodily functions, it's a euphemism for defecation.
Gold Rule
When 'tiêu' means pepper
Always check if the word is used in a cooking context. Vietnamese cuisine frequently uses 'tiêu' as a spice.
When 'tiêu' means spending
Look for financial or consumption-related phrases like 'tiêu tiền', 'tiêu xài', or 'tiêu thụ'.
Word Origin
From Middle Chinese 胡椒 (MC *ɦuo t͡sjew), via Sino-Vietnamese.
Usage Notes
'Tiêu' is a versatile word in Vietnamese, often used in cooking, finance, and bodily functions. In culinary contexts, it specifically refers to pepper, while in informal speech, it can mean spending money or even defecation. Context is key to understanding the intended meaning.