rượu đế

Vietnamese

Etymology

rượu (“wine, liquor, drink, alcohol”) +‎ đế (“kans grass”). Originated during the early period of French colonization of Vietnam, were the government allowed only one type of alcoholic beverage for consumption. Unsatisfied with that condition, the Vietnamese resorted to distilling their own liquor and hid it behind tall grass called cỏ tranh (cogon grass), or another kind of grass called đế (kans grass).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ziəw˧˨ʔ ʔɗe˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʐɨəw˨˩ʔ ʔɗej˨˩˦]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ɹɨəw˨˩˨ ʔɗej˦˥]

Noun

rượu đế

1. (Southern Vietnam) a distilled liquor from Vietnam, made of either glutinous or non-glutinous rice

   Synonyms: rượu trắng, rượu lậu, rượu ngang, rượu gạo, rượu chưng, rượu cuốc lủi, rượu quốc lủi