tránh vỏ dưa gặp vỏ dừa

Vietnamese

Etymology

A play on the words dưa (“melon”) and dừa (“coconut”), which both refer to fruits and differ only in tone.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕajŋ̟˧˦ vɔ˧˩ zɨə˧˧ ɣap̚˧˨ʔ vɔ˧˩ zɨə˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʈɛɲ˦˧˥ vɔ˧˨ jɨə˧˧ ɣap̚˨˩ʔ vɔ˧˨ jɨə˦˩]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʈan˦˥ vɔ˨˩˦ jɨə˧˧ ɣap̚˨˩˨ vɔ˨˩˦ jɨə˨˩] ~ [ʈan˦˥ jɔ˨˩˦ jɨə˧˧ ɣap̚˨˩˨ jɔ˨˩˦ jɨə˨˩]

Phrase

tránh vỏ dưa gặp vỏ dừa

1. (literal) away from the watermelon rind, into the coconut shell
2. (figurative) out of the frying pan, into the fire