nam thực như hổ, nữ thực như miêu

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 男食如虎，女食如貓.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [naːm˧˧ tʰɨk̚˧˨ʔ ɲɨ˧˧ ho˧˩ nɨ˦ˀ˥ tʰɨk̚˧˨ʔ ɲɨ˧˧ miəw˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [naːm˧˧ tʰɨk̚˨˩ʔ ɲɨ˧˧ how˧˨ nɨ˧˨ tʰɨk̚˨˩ʔ ɲɨ˧˧ miw˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [naːm˧˧ tʰɨk̚˨˩˨ ɲɨ˧˧ how˨˩˦ nɨ˨˩˦ tʰɨk̚˨˩˨ ɲɨ˧˧ miw˧˧]

Phrase

nam thực như hổ, nữ thực như miêu

1. (literal) men eat like tigers, women eat like cats
2. (figurative) men are supposed to take large bites and eat large portions, women are supposed to take small bites and eat small portions