nội bất xuất, ngoại bất nhập
Vietnamese
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 内 (“inside”), 不出 (“to not come out”), 外 (“outside”) and 不入 (“to not come in”).
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [noj˧˨ʔ ʔɓət̚˧˦ swət̚˧˦ ŋwaːj˧˨ʔ ʔɓət̚˧˦ ɲəp̚˧˨ʔ]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [noj˨˩ʔ ʔɓək̚˦˧˥ swək̚˦˧˥ ŋwaːj˨˩ʔ ʔɓək̚˦˧˥ ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [noj˨˩˨ ʔɓək̚˦˥ s⁽ʷ⁾ək̚˦˥ ŋwaːj˨˩˨ ʔɓək̚˦˥ ɲəp̚˨˩˨]
Phrase
nội bất xuất, ngoại bất nhập
- (literally) nothing inside can come out, nothing outside can come in
- the place in question is sealed shut or heavily guarded