Overview
Sights And Activities
Planning Your Trip
Accommodations
Cultural Essentials
Beyond Tourism
Basics
Agent Orange: exfoliant used by the US during the American war; caused cancer, birth defects
ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam; South Vietnam’s armed forces during the American War
Bác H·: Uncle Ho; see “H· Chí Minh”
bãi bi€n: beach
bánh khoái: the “Hu\ pancake;” the best pork, mushroom, bean sprout, and onion omelette you’ve ever had
bánh xèo: shrimp-and-pork pancakes
Bahnar: an ethnic minority in the central highlands
bia h£i: Vietnamese brew; nice and watered down
bò: beef
cá: fish
Cao ài: an all-inclusive religion that started in the Mekong Delta
cao l*u: specialty dish of Hÿi An
Chàm: an ethnic minority group in the southern and central regions of Vietnam; known for unique blending of Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim traditions
Champa: kingdom of the Chàm minority group that dominated southern Vietnam from the 2nd-16th centuries
chè: popular street-side dessert; various kinds are made of coconut milk, grass jelly, and tapioca balls.
chó: dog
ch: market
chúc: cheers!
c£m: rice; popular street-side dish
ch n®m: Vietnamese language in Chinese characters
cyclo: a bike with a basket up front for you to sit in
Dao: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
åi Vi_t: one of early Vietnam’s names, utilized by the L• and Tr<n dynasties; means “Great Vi_t”
ŒÆu phƒ/ŒÆu h©: tofu
Œåi lÿ: less common word for street used in HCMC; also referred to as L
Dau Qu<n Cht: ethnic minority in northwestern Vietnam
DMZ: Demilitarized Zone; the dividing line between North and South Vietnam
Œ%i møi: “renovation”; a set of economic reforms implemented in 1986 that essentially ushered in a market-based economy
Œ·ng: Vietnamese currency
DRV: Democratic Republic of Vietnam; the full name given to North Vietnam after the country’s split in 1954
Ϊng: street
Ëdç: an ethnic minority in the Central Highlands
gà: chicken
General Võ Nguy[n Giáp: famous general of the Vi_t Minh under H· Chí Minh
Geneva Convention: divided Vietnam and booted French troops; 1954
Giáy: an ethnic minority in northwestern Vietnam
grotto: a small cave
hëm: alley
H’m®ng: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
H· Chí Minh: modern Vietnam’s founding father; sole subject of many museums
Hoa: the largest minority group in Vietnam; descendants of the Han Chinese
Hòa H=o: low-profile Vietnamese religion
Hùng kings: the earliest Vietnamese dynasty
Indochina Wars: a series of three wars between 1945 and 1979 fought against the French, Americans, and Chinese, respectively
Indochine: France’s Southeast Asian colony
karst: dramatic limestone cliffs, caverns, and goodness
khách sån: hotel
Khmer: an ethnic minority group in southern and central Vietnam
K’ho: an ethnic minority in the central highlands
Kinh: the ethnic Vietnamese majority
Lˆ Li: beloved national hero who began the Later Lˆ Dynasty; a friend of turtles
ln/heo: pork
M’nong: an ethnic minority in the Central Highlands; elephant masters
Montagnards: French term for hill tribes
M™ng: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
NLF: National Liberation Front, the army of Northern Vietnam during the American War
Ng® ình Di_m: ruler of South Vietnam from 1954 until his assassination in 1963
N®ng Dc Månh: Secretary-General of the Communist Party
Nüng: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
n™øc m m: fish sauce
n™øc mía: sugarcane juice
Paris Peace Accords: the ceasefire signed by Vietnam and the US in 1973, calling for the withdrawl of American troops
ph: Vietnamese breakfast soup of choice made with beef broth, beef (most commonly), rice noodles, and a bunch of herbs
ph#: street (used chiefly in Hà Nÿi)
Phu La: an ethnic minority in northwestern Vietnam
quán chay: vegetarian restaurant
quÆn: urban district; sometimes abbreviated Q
qu#c ng: Latin-alphabet script invented during 17th century by French missionary Alexandre de Rhodes; still used today
rau: vegetables/herbs
RVN: Republic of Vietnam; the full name given to South Vietnam after the country’s split in 1954
r™u: hard liquor
r™u den: snake-blood vodka, a Vietnamese favorite
Saigon: the French name for H· Chí Minh City, officially used from 1862 to 1975
Shiva: a Hindu god, often pictured with more than one pair of arms
sinh t#: fruit shake shop
Tày: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
T\t: Vietnamese New Year; cause for celebration
Thài: an ethnic minority in northern Vietnam
th¢t bò: beef
triple religion: the term for what most Vietnamese practice; a combination of Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Taoism
t®m: shrimp
Uncle Ho: see “H· Chí Minh”
Vi_t Cÿng: name given by the US for the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF), the northern Vietnamese guerrilla force active during the American War
Vietnamization: term for the slow removal of US troops from Vietnam initiated by President Richard Nixon that left the southern forces in the lurch
Vi_t Ki]u: “overseas Vietnamese”; the Vietnamese diaspora
Vi_t Minh: guerrilla forces under the leadership of General Giap during WWII and First Indochina War; known officially as the Revolutionary League for the Independence of Vietnam
World Trade Organization (WTO): global organization that oversees trade between nations
xe máy: motorcycle
xe ®m: motorbike taxi; literally “hugging bike”
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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