thang

See also: Thang, tháng, thắng, Thắng, and thẳng

English

Etymology

An altered spelling of thing, representing pronunciation in the southern United States (see thank–think merger); compare everytang.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: thăng; IPA^(key): /θæŋ/
• (General American) enPR: thāng; IPA^(key): /θeɪŋ/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -æŋ, -eɪŋ

Noun

thang (plural thangs)

1. (slang) Pronunciation spelling of thing, usually used to denote a known fad or popular activity.

   It's cool, girl, it ain't no thang.

   Do your own thang.

   • 1977, “Sweet Thang”, in Freedom Flight, performed by Shuggie Otis:

     Ooh baby, sweet thang

   • 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 180:

     I loved playing ball for Syracuse. Couldn't get enough of doing my thang on that court and showing motherfuckers all my skills.

Derived terms

• ain't nothing but a thang

Further reading

• Jonathon Green (2024) “thang n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Dimasa

Verb

thang

1. to go

Hokkien

For pronunciation and definitions of thang – see 通 (“can; may”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 通).

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰaːŋ˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰaːŋ˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [tʰaːŋ˧˧]

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

(classifier cái, chiếc) thang • (湯, 󱥭, 梯, 蹚, 簜)

1. a ladder

See also

Derived terms

• cầu thang
• leo thang
• thang bộ
• thang máy

 

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 湯.

Noun

thang

1. (alternative medicine) a prescribed dose of Chinese or Vietnamese medicine

See also

Derived terms

• một nụ cười bằng mười thang thuốc bổ
• thuốc thang