mắt chữ O mồm chữ A
Vietnamese
Alternative forms
- mắt chữ O, mồm chữ A
- mắt chữ A mồm chữ O
- mắt chữ A, mồm chữ O
Etymology
Literally “eyes (wide open, like) the letter O, and mouth (gasping, sounding like) the letter A”.
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [mat̚˧˦ t͡ɕɨ˦ˀ˥ ʔɔ˧˧ mom˨˩ t͡ɕɨ˦ˀ˥ ʔaː˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [mak̚˦˧˥ t͡ɕɨ˧˨ ʔɔ˧˧ mom˦˩ t͡ɕɨ˧˨ ʔaː˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [mak̚˦˥ cɨ˨˩˦ ʔɔ˧˧ mom˨˩ cɨ˨˩˦ ʔaː˧˧]
Phrase
mắt chữ O mồm chữ A
- (figuratively) to be shocked; to be gobsmacked