hình dung

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• (Northern Vietnam, noun) hình dong

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 形容.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [hïŋ˨˩ zʊwŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [hɨn˦˩ jʊwŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [hɨn˨˩ jʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

Verb

hình dung

1. to form an image or concept in one's head; to imagine, to figure, to picture, to reckon etc.

Noun

hình dung

1. (archaic) outer appearance (of a person)

   Trông mặt mà bắt hình dong, con lợn có béo thì lòng mới ngon.

   A man can be judged by his appearance; chitterlings are only tasty when the pig is fat. (idiom)

   • 1820, Nguyễn Du, Truyện Kiều [The Tale of Kiều]:

     Một chàng vừa trạc thanh xuân,
     Hình dung chải chuốt, áo khăn dịu dàng.

     The bard was a young man of blossoming age,
     With well-groomed appearance of refined attire.