vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• chủ vắng nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm

Etymology

Literally "when the owner is away from home, the chicken will peck the earthenware pot of shrimp" (in Vietnam, chickens are known for their love of shrimp)

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [vaŋ˧˦ t͡ɕu˧˩ ɲaː˨˩ ɣaː˨˩ vawk͡p̚˧˨ʔ niəw˧˧ tom˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [vaŋ˦˧˥ t͡ɕʊw˧˨ ɲaː˦˩ ɣaː˦˩ vawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ niw˧˧ tom˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [vaŋ˦˥ cʊw˨˩˦ ɲaː˨˩ ɣaː˨˩ vawk͡p̚˨˩˨ niw˧˧ tom˧˧] ~ [jaŋ˦˥ cʊw˨˩˦ ɲaː˨˩ ɣaː˨˩ jawk͡p̚˨˩˨ niw˧˧ tom˧˧]

Idiom

vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm

1. when the cat's away the mice will play