mẹ tròn con vuông
Vietnamese
Etymology
Perhaps from the ideal shapes of the sky (tròn (“spherical”, literally “round”)) and the earth (vuông (“squared”)). See also the Legend of bánh chưng and bánh giày.
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [mɛ˧˨ʔ t͡ɕɔn˨˩ kɔn˧˧ vuəŋ˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [mɛ˨˩ʔ ʈɔŋ˦˩ kɔŋ˧˧ vuəŋ˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [mɛ˨˩˨ ʈɔŋ˨˩ kɔŋ˧˧ vuəŋ˧˧] ~ [mɛ˨˩˨ ʈɔŋ˨˩ kɔŋ˧˧ juəŋ˧˧]
Phrase
mẹ tròn con vuông
- (literally) round mother, squared baby
- (figuratively) you/she (have/has) had a successful delivery, and both you/she and your/her baby are now in good condition