Imagine you’re traveling through Vietnam and make your way down to the Mekong Delta. On a hot afternoon, you stop by a roadside stall in Ben Tre, famous for its coconuts, and order “một chục” - ten coconuts - for your team.
But the seller hands you twelve.
You count them again. Twelve. Did they get your order wrong?
Not quite. And this won’t be the only surprise you’ll encounter when it comes to numbers in Vietnam.
1. When “Một Chục” (10) Isn’t Always Ten
The expression “chục” is commonly heard and used in Vietnamese counting, especially in the Mekong Delta, standing for 10 units of something on paper. However, in reality, the story is completely different.
Let’s start with a real-life scenario. Below is a well-known game show in Vietnam named “Who is the Millionaire?” where participants score and win money as they answer questions correctly. Then, one question appears, challenging even some of the most knowledgeable natives:
Question: “When you visit Ben Tre, if you buy ten coconuts, how many coconuts do you often get?”
Correct Answer: Surprisingly, twelve!
This is not a math question; it’s a cultural one. And the answer comes from the fact that the people in the Southwest regions, such as Ben Tre, have a special way to bend this mathematical rule into something unique and economically efficient.
According to experts in Southwest culture, the custom of adding two or more units has its roots long back in the early days of land reclamation and settlements. This is a reflection of the generosity that Southern people boast and the abundance in their agricultural produce. As a result, people here don’t often keep a precise count of the numbers sold, while some folks even give buyers more just in case any of the bought products are spoiled.
Beyond reflecting the wholesome character, this unwritten rule is also a smart business tactic where sellers are able to quickly sell out their products and head home, while buyers who feel intrigued and motivated when receiving a discounted price are more likely to come back again; hence, a win-win situation.
Still interested?
- Depending on the type of fruits or vegetables, the added units also differ: “Một chục” (ten) ears of corn can mean fourteen, while “một chục” oranges or mangoes can mean up to sixteen or eighteen.
- Unfortunately, although being a unique feature of the region, this measuring custom is gradually being replaced by more precise and accurate means of measurement such as kilograms or grams.
2. When “Second” Is “First”
Many Southern Vietnamese address their family members and relatives by their birth orders, hence the expressions: “anh ba” (third brother), “chị bảy” (seventh sister), or “cô sáu” (sixth aunt). However, these expressions can be confusing to some, as there is no “first” child in the Southern (or Central) families, making the whole calculation sound logically faulty at first.
Alternatively, “anh hai” or “chị hai” (second brother/sister) in many Central and Southern areas is a familiar expression to refer to the first brother or sister among siblings in a family. The reasons for not having a title for the first child, or simply adopting the equivalent term “anh/chị cả” from the Northern regions, still spark controversy among many. Although theories are proposed, these three are the most popularly accepted by the majority:
Theory 1: A Gesture Of Gratitude
In the 16th century, under the encouragement of Nguyễn Hoàng (a Vietnamese official who ruled southern Vietnam from 1558 to 1613), many Northern residents migrated to the South of Vietnam to avoid wars and seek settlements and economic opportunities. However, not every family member participated in the migration, as someone must take the responsibility of tending to the ancestors, which was often the eldest brother. As a way to show respect and gratitude, those who migrated have reserved “anh cả” - the “first child” title for the “Northern brothers”, so “anh hai” is used ever since for the Southern settlers.
Theory 2: Avoiding “Special” Names
For centuries, especially during the period of Chinese domination, Vietnamese people have adopted the practice of avoiding names of important and superior figures such as rulers or seniors (also known as “kiêng húy” or “kỵ húy” in Vietnamese) out of respect or fear of punishment. This practice seems to have a lasting influence, as evidence of it is still found in today’s names and customs. According to Vương Hồng Sển, the author of “Sài gòn năm xưa”, the reason Southern people don’t name their eldest or first child as “cả” is due to their veneration towards the death of “Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh” or “ông Hoàng Cả” (the eldest son of Emperor Gia Long ̣(1)). Additionally, in the article “Quốc húy của triều Nguyễn” by Tạ Quang Phát, another possible reason is to avoid the Vietnamese name of “Evêque a’Adran” (2) - “Cha Cả” (a French Catholic priest and missionary who played a pivotal role in Vietnamese history) or the title “ông Cả” (the village chief in Southern Vietnam during the French colonial period)
Theory 3: The Taboo Of The First Child
This last theory originates from folklore told in the early times of the pristine Southern parts. “Dưới sông sấu lội, trên rừng cọp um” is a proverb that perfectly captures how early settlers viewed the land back in the day: full of looming and life-threatening dangers, in which many folks have lost their lives to hungry wild beasts. One tragic story is about the death of the first child of Mr. Nguyễn Văn Núi and Mrs. Lê Thị Nhạc, two of the pioneers who migrated to what is now called An Giang province. His eldest son (“con cả”) was killed by a tiger while hunting in the jungle. As Nguyen Huu Hiep, a researcher on the history and culture of Southern Vietnam, explains, others, in fear of losing their firstborns to the hands of tigers, shunned the title “cả” and only named their children from the second position. It is believed that some folks reserved the title for the tiger out of fear, while others just avoided the name completely.
3. When Numbers Have Their “Siblings”
Have you ever heard these expressions: “mốt”, “lăm”, “linh” or “lẻ” in Vietnamese numbers? You should not confuse these as new numbers, for they are just alternatives to the original ones.
In case you haven’t come across their “siblings”, let’s look at these examples:
- 11 & 21 (Mười một & Hai mươi mốt)
- 5 & 15 (Năm & Mười lăm)
- 105 (Một trăm lẻ năm & Một không năm)
“Một” Versus “Mốt”
This variation of “một” is due to the tone shift tendency in Vietnamese, resulting in pleasing sound combinations. When the number one is preceded by a high-pitched tone (like “mươi”), it is often pronounced as “mốt,” as in “hai mươi mốt” or “hai mốt,” since high-pitched sounds tend to harmonize when going together.
“Năm” Versus “Lăm”
Both words are the same way to signal the number five in Vietnamese. The main reason why people also use “lăm” is because the word “năm” also means “year”. Therefore, to avoid potential confusion, such as “năm năm,” which can be interpreted as “5 years” or “55”, Vietnamese people use “lăm” as an alternative.
“Linh/Lẻ” Versus “Không”
When numbers are over a hundred, especially from 101 to 109, “linh” or “lẻ” is used to highlight the excess numbers. While the origin of the word “linh” can be traced back to the Chinese word “零” (/líng/), “lẻ” is a native word in Vietnamese. Apart from addressing the zero value, “không” is also used when numbers should be separately pronounced (such as phone or room numbers).
Conclusion
Even though numbers are a universal concept, besides their logical and practical properties, Vietnamese numbers, much like their language, have their own identity, shaped by the culture, people, and countless pages of history. So, next time you come across some confusing numbers in Vietnam, be prepared for some great stories awaiting to be told.
Footnote number:
(1) founder and first emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty
(2) a French Catholic priest and missionary who played a pivotal role in Vietnamese history