cơm muối

Vietnamese

Etymology

From cơm (“cooked rice”) +‎ muối (“salt”), perhaps from the ingredients used in exorcisms. Saying it in response to a child's sneeze is believed to expel the evil spirit that's possessing their weak phách at that moment.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kəːm˧˧ muəj˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kəːm˧˧ muj˨˩˦]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [kəːm˧˧ muj˦˥]

Interjection

cơm muối

1. (Northern Vietnam, Central Vietnam) bless you; gesundheit