bạc

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bac"

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːk̚˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːk̚˨˩ʔ]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːk̚˨˩˨]
• Homophone: bạt

• Audio (Hồ Chí Minh City)

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Etymology 1

Chemical element
Ag
Previous: palađi (Pd)
Next: cađimi (Cd)

From Proto-Vietic *baːk (“white”), a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 白 (“white”, SV: bạch); cognate with Proto-Pong *paːk⁸ (“white”), Pong paːk, Thổ pɐːk⁸. The semantic development “white” > “silver” parallels that of vàng (“yellow” > “gold”).

Noun

bạc • (白, 鉑, 礴)

1. silver
2. money

Adjective

bạc • (白, 鉑, 礴)

1. silver (either in material or in appearance)
2. (figurative, of hair) gray

   Tóc thầy bạc trắng như mây. ― The teacher's hair is gray like clouds.

Derived terms

• bạc má (“tit bird”)
• bạc xỉu
• đầu bạc răng long
• đồng bạc (“money”)
• giấy bạc (“tinfoil; banknote”)
• màn bạc (“silver screen”)
• thợ bạc
• tiền bạc (“money”)

 

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 薄.

Adjective

bạc • (泊, 萡, 薄)

1. (of fate or life) miserable; ill

Derived terms

• bạc bẽo (“ungrateful”)
• bạc đãi (薄待, “to mistreat”)
• bạc hà (薄荷, “mint”)
• bội bạc (背薄, “ungrateful”)
• đạm bạc (淡薄, “plain; modest”)
• phụ bạc (負薄, “to betray”)
• tệ bạc (弊薄, “ungrateful”)

 

Etymology 3

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 博 (“to gamble”, SV: bác).

Noun

bạc

1. Short for bài bạc (“gambling”).

   Đen tình, đỏ bạc. ― Bad luck in romance brings good luck in gambling.

Derived terms

• con bạc (“gambler”)
• cờ bạc (“gambling”)
• đánh bạc (“to gamble”)
• sòng bạc (“casino”)