đạm bạc

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 淡薄, composed of 淡 (“mild”) and 薄 (“weak; meager”), sometimes written as 淡泊.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

đạm bạc

1. plain; simple; basic; unexciting
2. (figurative, of life) humble; modest; frugal

Adverb

đạm bạc

1. plainly; simply; modestly