The Scarlet Letter — Page 13

Vocabulary

Tôi

First person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'

dường

Seems or appears to be a certain way

như

Like, as, or as if

có

To have or to exist

quyền

Right, authority, or power to do something

yêu

To love or feel deep affection

cầu

To request, pray, or a bridge structure

cư

To reside or dwell in a place

trú

To stay, shelter, or reside somewhere

ở

To live at or be located somewhere

đây

Here, this place nearby the speaker

mạnh

Strong, powerful, or in good health

hơn

More than, comparative degree marker

vì

Because, for the sake of someone

người

Person, human being, or people

tổ

Ancestor, nest, or founding unit

tiên

Ancestor or fairy; first in order

nghiêm

Strict, stern, or serious in manner

nghị

Resolute, determined; also means to deliberate

râu

Beard or mustache on a man's face

ria

Mustache or whiskers on the face

khoác

To drape or put on a garment loosely

áo

Shirt, garment, or item of clothing

choàng

To wrap around or drape over shoulders

đen

Black color or dark shade

và

And, conjunction connecting words or phrases

đội

To wear on the head; also a team

mũ

Hat or cap worn on the head

cao

Tall, high, or elevated in position

vành

Brim of a hat or rim of object

này

This, referring to something nearby or mentioned

đã

Past tense marker indicating completed action

đến

To arrive, come to, or reach a place

rất

Very, extremely, intensifier before adjectives

sớm

Early, soon, or ahead of expected time

với

With, together with, or accompanied by

Kinh

Scripture, classic text, or holy book

Thánh

Holy, sacred, or saintly; used for Bible

thanh

Sword blade; also pure or clear sound

kiếm

Sword or to earn and seek something

của

Of, belonging to, possessive particle

ông

He, him, grandfather, or respectful address for man

bước

Step, pace, or to walk forward

đi

To go, walk, or move away

trên

On, above, or on top of something

con

Child, young animal, or classifier for roads

phố

Street, road, or urban thoroughfare

còn

Still, yet, or remaining; also and

chưa

Not yet, indicating incomplete action

mòn

Worn out, eroded, or gradually reduced

dáng

Figure, posture, or outward appearance of person

vẻ

Appearance, look, or expression of someone

oai

Imposing, majestic, or commanding presence

vậy

So, thus, or like that therefore

tạo

To create, form, or produce something

nên

So, therefore, or should; to become

một

One, a single unit or item

hình

Shape, image, form, or figure

tượng

Statue, image, or symbol of something

lớn

Big, large, great, or grown-up

lao

Great, tremendous; also labor or to hurl

chiến

War, battle, or to fight in conflict

tranh

War, struggle, or a painting artwork

lẫn

Both, mixed together, as well as

hòa

Peace, harmony, or to reconcile differences

bình

Peace, calm, or flat and level

so

To compare with or measure against something

bản

Self, copy, original version of something

thân

Body, self, or close and intimate

tôi

I, me, first person singular pronoun

mà

But, yet, or relative clause marker

cái

Classifier for objects; thing or item

tên

Name of a person or thing

ít

Few, little, or rarely in amount

khi

When, time, or occasion of event

được

To be able to; receive or obtain

nghe

To hear or listen to something

khuôn

Mold, frame, or oval shape of face

mặt

Face, surface, or aspect of something

hầu

Almost, nearly, or hardly anyone

không

No, not, negation of a statement

ai

Who, anyone, or somebody unspecified

biết

To know, be aware, or understand something

Ông

He, him; respectful term for older man

là

Is, am, are; linking verb of identity

lính

Soldier, military personnel, or troop member

nhà

House, home, or expert in a field

lập

To establish, found, or set up something

pháp

Law, method, or relating to France

quan

Official, mandarin, or to observe something

tòa

Court, tribunal, or large building structure

lãnh

To lead, receive, or command others

đạo

Religion, way, path, or moral principle

trong

In, inside, within a space or group

Giáo

Religion, teaching, or church denomination

hội

Association, society, meeting, or church congregation

mang

To carry, bring, or bear something along

đủ

Enough, sufficient, or all of something

mọi

Every, all, each without exception

đặc

Special, characteristic, concentrated, or thick

tính

Nature, character, trait, or to calculate

Thanh

Puritan; also pure, clear, or youthful

giáo

Religion, church, or to teach and educate

cả

All, both, even, or entire group

tốt

Good, well, or of fine quality

xấu

Bad, ugly, or of poor quality

cũng

Also, too, as well, similarly

kẻ

Person, individual, often with negative connotation

bức

To press, oppress, or a picture frame

hại

To harm, damage, or be harmful

tàn

Cruel, brutal, remnant, or to wither

nhẫn

Cruel, patient, or a ring on finger

những

Those, these, plural marker for nouns

chứng

To witness, testify, or evidence of something

kiến

To witness, see; also ant insect

ghi

To record, note down, or write something

nhớ

To remember, miss, or recall something

lịch

Calendar, history, or refined and polite

sử

History, historical record, or chronicles

họ

They, them, or family surname

kể

To tell, narrate, or recount a story

lại

Again, back, or directional complement returning

sự

Nominalizer for abstract nouns and events

việc

Matter, affair, work, or task at hand

về

About, regarding, or to return home

khắc

Harsh, severe, to engrave, or a moment

nghiệt

Harsh, strict, or severe in judgment

bạo

Violent, brutal, or sudden and forceful

đối

Toward, against, or opposite in relation

phụ

Female, auxiliary, or assistant; to help

nữ

Woman, female, or feminine gender

phái

Sect, faction, group, or to send someone

điều

Thing, matter, point, or article of rule

ta

We, I, or informal first person pronoun

e

To fear, be afraid, or worry that

rằng

That, introducing a reported clause or statement

sẽ

Will, future tense marker for upcoming action

tồn

To exist, remain, or survive over time

tại

At, in, or because of a reason

lâu

Long time, for a prolonged duration

bất

Not, un-, prefix meaning negation or any

kỳ

Any, strange, or a period of time

chép

To copy, transcribe, or write down text

nào

Any, which, or what; interrogative particle

làm

To do, make, work, or cause something

đẹp

Beautiful, pretty, or aesthetically pleasing

dù

Although, even though, despite circumstances

đó

That, there, referring to something mentioned

Con

Child, offspring, or classifier for animals

trai

Boy, son, or young male person

thừa

To inherit, have excess, or receive from predecessor

hưởng

To enjoy, benefit from, or receive something

tinh

Spirit, essence, refined, or pure quality

thần

Spirit, god, deity, or supernatural being

tự

Self, by oneself, or autonomous action

mình

Oneself, self, or intimate second person pronoun

nổi

To float, rise up, or stand out notably

bật

To stand out, spring up, or turn on

cuộc

Classifier for events, matches, or life events

thảm

Tragic, horrific, or a carpet or rug

sát

Massacre, killing, or to examine closely

bị

Passive marker indicating suffering an action

kết

To conclude, tie, or form a result

tội

Crime, sin, guilt, or to blame someone

phù

Witch, charm, or to suit and match

thủy

Water; witch as in phù thủy sorcerer

mức

Level, degree, extent, or measure of something

thể

Can, able to, body, or form of something

nói

To speak, say, or talk about something

cách

Way, method, manner, or distance apart

công

Public, fair, just, or labor contribution

bằng

Equal, flat, or by means of something

máu

Blood, bloodshed, or relating to lineage

để

To put, allow, or in order to

vết

Stain, mark, trace, or scar left behind

nhơ

Stain, filth, moral blemish or disgrace

Một

One, a, or a single instance

sâu

Deep, profound, or a worm or insect

thực

Real, true, actual, or to eat a meal

mảnh

Fragment, piece, thin slice of something

xương

Bone or skeletal structure of a body

khô

Dry, dried out, or withered condition

già

Old, aged, or elderly in years

cỗi

Old and withered, decrepit, or ancient

nghĩa

Meaning, significance, righteousness, or obligation

địa

Ground, land, earth, or cemetery area

chắc

Sure, certain, firm, or probably likely

hẳn

Certainly, definitely, or for sure

vẫn

Still, yet, continuing in same state

theo

To follow, according to, or accompany someone

nó

It, him, her; third person singular pronoun

nếu

If, conditional conjunction for hypothetical situations

chúng

They, them, plural pronoun for things or people

tan

To dissolve, melt, scatter, or disperse completely

thành

To become, turn into, or a city

tro

Ash, ashes left after burning something

bụi

Dust, particle, or fine powder in air

hoàn

Complete, whole, or to return something

toàn

Entirely, completely, fully, whole

liệu

To wonder whether; to prepare or manage

từng

Ever, once, each individually, or experienced past

nghĩ

To think, consider, or reflect on something

ăn

To eat food or consume something

năn

Repent; used in ăn năn meaning to regret

xin

To ask politely, beg, or request something

Đấng

Honorific for divine being or supreme entity

Tối

Highest, supreme, or very dark

Cao

High, tall, or supreme in rank

tha

To forgive, pardon, or release someone

thứ

To forgive; also order or rank number

cho

For, to give, or allow someone something

ác

Evil, wicked, cruel, or malicious deeds

hay

Or, interesting, often, or clever

hiện

Currently, present, or to appear and manifest

đang

Currently, progressive marker for ongoing actions

rên

To moan, groan, or cry in pain

rỉ

To whimper softly; also rust on metal

dưới

Under, below, beneath, or lower than something

hậu

After, consequence, or behind in position

quả

Result, consequence, or fruit of a plant

nặng

Heavy, serious, or severe in degree

trạng

State, condition, or status of something

thái

Attitude, state, or condition of being

khác

Different, other, or another kind entirely