nước lã
Vietnamese edit
Etymology edit
Perhaps from nước + lã, with lã deriving from Chinese 冷 (lãnh, “cold”). Compare nước lạnh (“cold water; unboiled water”).
Pronunciation edit
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [nɨək̚˧˦ laː˦ˀ˥]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [nɨək̚˦˧˥ laː˧˨]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [nɨək̚˦˥ laː˨˩˦]
Noun edit
- unboiled water
- Synonym: nước lạnh
- Đừng uống nước lã kẻo đau bụng.
- Don't drink unboiled water, you'll upset your stomach.
Usage notes edit
- Strictly speaking, the fact that water is supposed to be boiled is for tea making, but for hygienic purposes, it has always been recommended that people shouldn't drink water straight out of a well or a tap; they should boil it first instead.
See also edit
Derived terms