bụng

Etymology

From Proto-Vietic *buːŋʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *buŋ() ~ *buuŋʔ. Cognate with Khmer ពុង (pung), Mon ဗုၚ် (pɜ̀ŋ), Nguôn pũng, pụng, Thai พุง (pung).

In Vietnamese culture, instead of "heart", traditionally "belly, abdomen" was considered to be where people harbor their feelings and emotions. See also lòng (“intestine”) and dạ (“belly, stomach”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓʊwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓʊwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʔɓʊwŋ͡m˨˩˨]

• Audio (Saigon):

  (file)

Noun

(classifier cái) bụng • (䏾)

1. belly
2. (figurative) personality

   tốt bụng ― goodhearted

3. (figurative) inner feelings, inner thoughts
   • 1920, Trần Trọng Kim, Việt Nam sử lược‎, volume II, Trung Bắc Tân Văn, page 139:

     Tự đó vua Chiêu-thống trong bụng buồn-bã rầu-rĩ, không dám nói đến việc xin binh nữa.

     From then on, Emperor Chiêu Thống felt morose and did not dare mention requesting more troops anymore.