hoa nhài cắm bãi cứt trâu

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Vietnamese

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Perhaps from folklore. Compare Chinese 一朵鮮花插在牛糞上一朵鲜花插在牛粪上 (yī duǒ xiānhuā chā zài niúfèn shàng, literally a flower stuck into a pile of cow dung). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [hwaː˧˧ ɲaːj˨˩ kam˧˦ ʔɓaːj˦ˀ˥ kɨt̚˧˦ t͡ɕəw˧˧]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [hwaː˧˧ ɲaːj˦˩ kam˦˧˥ ʔɓaːj˧˨ kɨk̚˦˧˥ ʈəw˧˧]
  • (Saigon) IPA(key): [waː˧˧ ɲaːj˨˩ kam˦˥ ʔɓaːj˨˩˦ kɨk̚˦˥ ʈəw˧˧]
  • Audio (Hà Nội):(file)

Noun

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(classifier bông) hoa nhài cắm bãi cứt trâu

  1. (literal) an Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) stuck in a pile of water buffalo shit
  2. (figurative) a beautiful woman married to a man who's so terribly below her status or standard to be considered appropriate