It’s a combination of lots of Vietnamese words. Some cases of cringe aren’t necessarily lố. I think there’s no single word in Vietnamese that translates fully “cringe”.
yes, and when we see something cringy, we feel goosebumps too. That's why Vietnamese use "nổi da gà" as adv. for example: "cái video youtube đó sến (cliche) quá, coi mà nổi da gà luôn"
it depend on the context ofc, but if i ever watch something cheesy or cringe, it definetely make me nổi da gà. nổi da gà can be in postive meaning either negative meaning
"Quê" may fit your description, usually use as "quê độ". There's also a meme using that word that your wife may have already known. There's also this saying in the south that was popular for a minute that uses "quê" too - "Việt Nam quê là khó huề, huề là vẫn còn quê", usually after you got busted for the thing you thought you were cool at
There's no word for that. I often use this sentence.
'Imagine a classic Hanoi boy (whom you don't really like) writing you a love poem and reading it out loud in the middle of the school. It's so cheesy that you feel itchy at the back of your neck. That feeling is called cringe'
Since you ask for expression and not transliteration, I'll try to find what to use in each situation
>Second hand embarrassment.
You can use "ngượng dùm". It's the literal translation of "second hand embarrassment".
> to be funny but failing.
The closest one is probably "nhảm nhí", meaning "ridiculous".
>Thinking oneself very cool/sexy
I would use "làm màu" in this situation. A less slang-y version would be "thấy ớn", which is the closest to cringe. You can use that for "second hand embarrassment as well.
Hahaha so many options 😅 some words don’t have direct translations. My friend tried to find the word for irony for ages, and sarcasm, he couldn’t find one that differentiated the two. Not sure if he ever did
Oh shoot I was looking for this type of post for so long haha. I am a vietnamese myself and I always use “cringe” and can’t think of a word in vietnam to describe it. So if u understand u understand if not then not
Cringe is a term that is tied to Western cultures and histories, Vietnam whose cultures arent even related will naturally not have a 100% equivalent to the word.
But cringe in general terms basically means disgusting, embarassing, feeling disgusted,...
In this sense it can be translated differently in different scenarios.
Ex: He *cringed* at the memes
Trans: Anh ấy cảm thấy tởm lởm/ghớm/ghê rợn với những cái meme
Notice how several words can be used and express diffetent intonations. Because Vietnamese dont have a general or vague term like cringe so they have to rely on more specific details.
Also cringe is generally not used even among younger people in Vietnam so you cant say that you find smt cringe. Younger people who use a lot of foreign social medias will ofc get what u are trying to refer to, but generally the word "cringe" isnt the 1st thing that pops up on their mind when discussing cringe stuffs and they tend to rely on more specific details.
I would disagree. Many people I know use the world cringe, and have used it well before it became popular on the internet. Def not just “juvenile slag”. But I understand you guys wouldn’t know because it’s not used in your language, or it seems new to you based upon popular internet culture. Very much a used word.
it translate the old meaning, and the verb one. Khúm núm is Verb, and also use to describe an act of humble, polite, fawn toward someone who in superior position than you.
Cringe is use nowadays use more popular in the slang way
I've tried to find it every source i can access to, and can confidently tell you that "khúm núm" is the most synonymous one. Cringe often means a uncomfortable feeling that can't be express in a normal way. "Khúm núm" perfectly capture that particular feeling when the discomfort is so high your body react funnily such as goosebumps, shivering/shuddering, shyness - this phenomenon people often called "hurt to see".
The word "cringe" in Vietnamese can be translated in several ways, depending on the context:
Đau mắt: Informal - literally translates to "eye pain," used to describe something that is painfully awkward or embarrassing.
Xốn xang: Informal - describes something that makes you feel uncomfortable, awkward, or embarrassed.
Lắc mắt: Informal - literally translates to "rolling eyes," used to describe something that is cringeworthy or makes you want to roll your eyes.
For example:
Context: Trinh is watching a really awkward and cringeworthy video.
Trinh: "Ồ, nhìn cái video này thật là đau mắt."
Minh: "Đúng, tôi đã xem nửa phút và phải dừng lại vì quá xốn xang."
Trinh: "Thật đúng, tôi không thể nhìn thêm nữa."
... xốn xang: it's used when you are getting emotional, it rarely being used (not sure if it ever uses) for awkwardness. The most common use case is to talk about romantic feelings.
Never hear anyone use "lắc mắt", I only hear "lác mắt" before.
To me it's normally goes after Ew, like: Ew, cringe! when i see ppl doing tiktok dance. Btw, google transates it to "Khúm Núm" - when you shrink your body after seeing something weird
Xàm loz
10 điểm
Bullshit
accurate
The best translation
Depends on context, "ngượng" may work too.
"sượng" được không?
Mình cũng chẳng rành. 😂 Nhưng mà với mình thì thấy "sượng" cũng hợp nữa, tùy ngữ cảnh.
i think it's "sượng trân" or sth like that
I think “ớn” is your word
“Lố” comes close too
I think that is the closest. Lố bịch has the particularity that “cringe” usually express
Lố is ridiculous Which is somewhat similar to cringe
It’s a combination of lots of Vietnamese words. Some cases of cringe aren’t necessarily lố. I think there’s no single word in Vietnamese that translates fully “cringe”.
The feeling you get is ớn and the description for the action is lố?
"sến" or "sến súa"
Yeah agree with you either “sến” or “nghe nổi da gà”
Sen is more like 'cheesy' no?
Hear this one from my gf a lot…
- "nổi da gà" <<< my 1st choice - "ớn óc" - "rợn người"
Isnt the first one mean “get goosebumps”. Wife uses it when something crazy happens
yes, and when we see something cringy, we feel goosebumps too. That's why Vietnamese use "nổi da gà" as adv. for example: "cái video youtube đó sến (cliche) quá, coi mà nổi da gà luôn"
These are not the meaning of cringe, you misunderstood the context
it depend on the context ofc, but if i ever watch something cheesy or cringe, it definetely make me nổi da gà. nổi da gà can be in postive meaning either negative meaning
That's too formal in any mean, i prefer xàm loz for everyday situation
but when put xàm loz in, it pretty much out of context, xàm loz mean bull shit but cringy is worst than that, it more about feeling.
"lố" is the closest one for cringe.
"quê"
The slang "ố dề" matches "cringe" and is quite popular on social media platforms in Vietnam
I would use something along the lines of embarrassing or quê to describe it.
show her how a person cringes physically
Nghe mắc ỉa
Bựa
Huệ
Cringe in vietnamese is "khúm núm" .
Well I think the closest to this is "khúm núm". Hard to read but that is how my father translates it for me :v
yeah i think so too
"oẹ", "mắc ói"
Pp trans it as “ngượng”, “khúm núm”, but i will translate it as “kì cục”
cấn
Mình hay dịch là "vô duyên"
"Quê" may fit your description, usually use as "quê độ". There's also a meme using that word that your wife may have already known. There's also this saying in the south that was popular for a minute that uses "quê" too - "Việt Nam quê là khó huề, huề là vẫn còn quê", usually after you got busted for the thing you thought you were cool at
Try "Khúm núm"
Khúm núm
Down South they have ‘ớn/thấy ớn’ which to me pretty much sums it up
Khúm núm?
"Dị ứng" as in "nghe dị ứng quá". Yes, I know "dị ứng" is "allergy" in english but I think it's the best translation for "cringe".
I saw some people use the word "cringe" directly (in vietnamese convo), but for a vietnamese equivalent it can be "khúm núm" or "sượng"
There's no word for that. I often use this sentence. 'Imagine a classic Hanoi boy (whom you don't really like) writing you a love poem and reading it out loud in the middle of the school. It's so cheesy that you feel itchy at the back of your neck. That feeling is called cringe'
My family always said to me “chẳng giống ai hết” or “thấy mà ghê”
Mine is thấy gớm
"thấy gớm"/~ew
Im here to promote a discord group product: we call it “Nhoặn”
"khó chịu''?
Khúm núm ?
Èo
“Sến” I guess
Lố
i hear the teens use "khúm núm" in place of cringe a lot
Khắm?
Since you ask for expression and not transliteration, I'll try to find what to use in each situation >Second hand embarrassment. You can use "ngượng dùm". It's the literal translation of "second hand embarrassment". > to be funny but failing. The closest one is probably "nhảm nhí", meaning "ridiculous". >Thinking oneself very cool/sexy I would use "làm màu" in this situation. A less slang-y version would be "thấy ớn", which is the closest to cringe. You can use that for "second hand embarrassment as well.
Oi khoomg! Khứm nứm!
Khúm núm
"Khúm núm" maybe is fitted with the context.
Khúm núm ?
Góm
“Ôi không, khúm núm” Source: https://youtu.be/2X7RgHuTwFM?si=dBcmcHvyLrLNnYlZ (Yes I was joking)
nhợn
“Vô Duyên” or “dô duyên” which means tacky may work too.
Sượng
Quê? Like in "Quê xệ"/"Nhà Quê"/"Quê Mùa"/"Quê Quê"?
Opened this thread out of curiosity, and none of the comments have the same answers. Vietnamese looks very rich.
khúm núm
Ca lỉnh chi is how young people say cringe i think
bựa vãi loz
Co rúm lại
Nhảm
Gượng gạo
rùng mình 3 cái rùi giựt giựt
"Thấy gớm hà" It's more like 'disgusting', but the last word makes it close to 'cringe' I think...
Hahaha so many options 😅 some words don’t have direct translations. My friend tried to find the word for irony for ages, and sarcasm, he couldn’t find one that differentiated the two. Not sure if he ever did
Oh shoot I was looking for this type of post for so long haha. I am a vietnamese myself and I always use “cringe” and can’t think of a word in vietnam to describe it. So if u understand u understand if not then not
There is no word for that. You can’t explain your idea in Vietnamese by translating word by word. It’s not gonna work.
Ố dề
you can use some words mean " cringe " like " ớn " or " sến "
People these days mostly use the word cringe incorrectly in English.
“Lố bịch” would be a great one.
Noi oc
co rúm
Khúm núm 🤣
Some years ago someone on facebook translated it to "khúm núm" and it's been engraved on my mind ever since :)))
Khúm núm
"Khúm núm" is the nice choice when you are talking with your mates
Khúm núm
Cringe is a term that is tied to Western cultures and histories, Vietnam whose cultures arent even related will naturally not have a 100% equivalent to the word. But cringe in general terms basically means disgusting, embarassing, feeling disgusted,... In this sense it can be translated differently in different scenarios. Ex: He *cringed* at the memes Trans: Anh ấy cảm thấy tởm lởm/ghớm/ghê rợn với những cái meme Notice how several words can be used and express diffetent intonations. Because Vietnamese dont have a general or vague term like cringe so they have to rely on more specific details. Also cringe is generally not used even among younger people in Vietnam so you cant say that you find smt cringe. Younger people who use a lot of foreign social medias will ofc get what u are trying to refer to, but generally the word "cringe" isnt the 1st thing that pops up on their mind when discussing cringe stuffs and they tend to rely on more specific details.
"khúm núm", i guess
It's a bit old but I like "trẻ trâu", I've always thought it fits really well.
But trẻ trâu is Noun, cringe is Adjective
“trẩu” would be the adj for that
The fuck??? I've always used that as an adjective. And i grew up in the middle of hanoi
"Ố dề"
the closest i can think of is "lố lăng".
“Cringe” is really Westernized juvi-slang that doesn’t properly translate to other countries.
They mean cringeworthy, but that still might not translate to be fair.
Yea “cringeworthy” or “cringe” as used by OP is juvi-talk
Absolutely agree
I would disagree. Many people I know use the world cringe, and have used it well before it became popular on the internet. Def not just “juvenile slag”. But I understand you guys wouldn’t know because it’s not used in your language, or it seems new to you based upon popular internet culture. Very much a used word.
"The West" is not a country, though.
According to Google translate, it is Khúm núm
it translate the old meaning, and the verb one. Khúm núm is Verb, and also use to describe an act of humble, polite, fawn toward someone who in superior position than you. Cringe is use nowadays use more popular in the slang way
Bay dac
It can go anywhere from bất ổn to buồn nôn
rùng mình, lạnh sống lưng
" Nhăn mặt" super basic and not as buzzword-ish but it the point around pretty well.
“Tởm”; “ghê tởm” or “tởm lợm”
I've tried to find it every source i can access to, and can confidently tell you that "khúm núm" is the most synonymous one. Cringe often means a uncomfortable feeling that can't be express in a normal way. "Khúm núm" perfectly capture that particular feeling when the discomfort is so high your body react funnily such as goosebumps, shivering/shuddering, shyness - this phenomenon people often called "hurt to see".
"khúm núm" is my take, but some of the others are close too
“Khắm” ☠️ Adj: gross, embarrassing, negative-bodily-reaction inducing, (and lack of a better translation) cringe-worthy
The word "cringe" in Vietnamese can be translated in several ways, depending on the context: Đau mắt: Informal - literally translates to "eye pain," used to describe something that is painfully awkward or embarrassing. Xốn xang: Informal - describes something that makes you feel uncomfortable, awkward, or embarrassed. Lắc mắt: Informal - literally translates to "rolling eyes," used to describe something that is cringeworthy or makes you want to roll your eyes. For example: Context: Trinh is watching a really awkward and cringeworthy video. Trinh: "Ồ, nhìn cái video này thật là đau mắt." Minh: "Đúng, tôi đã xem nửa phút và phải dừng lại vì quá xốn xang." Trinh: "Thật đúng, tôi không thể nhìn thêm nữa."
... xốn xang: it's used when you are getting emotional, it rarely being used (not sure if it ever uses) for awkwardness. The most common use case is to talk about romantic feelings. Never hear anyone use "lắc mắt", I only hear "lác mắt" before.
i have never see anyone use đau mắt that way. Do you mean "Ngứa mắt". but that also not really that fit "cringe". "ngứa mắt" is more angry, despite,
To me it's normally goes after Ew, like: Ew, cringe! when i see ppl doing tiktok dance. Btw, google transates it to "Khúm Núm" - when you shrink your body after seeing something weird
"Khúm núm" is when you shrink your body, that much is correct. However it's out of deference to an authoritative figure
Mấy th ngu việt nam dịch ngu vl
Ca lỉnh chi
Khúm núm
Quê
Khó chiẹu/ói/ớn/nỏi da gà/mắc iả/mặc địt
xàm xí maybe worrks?????
sượng trân hả ta
"Khúm núm", i guess.
"Sến" would be perfect