dở dở ương ương

Vietnamese

Etymology

Reduplication of dở (“unfinished”) + ương (“not yet ripe”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [zəː˧˩ zəː˧˩ ʔɨəŋ˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [jəː˧˨ jəː˧˨ ʔɨəŋ˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [jəː˨˩˦ jəː˨˩˦ ʔɨəŋ˧˧ ʔɨəŋ˧˧]

Adjective

dở dở ương ương

1. in an intermediate or undetermined stage; in-between; (of a person) not very smart, but not entirely stupid either; half-witted