thanh mai trúc mã

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 青梅竹馬 (green plums and bamboo horse), from Chinese 青梅竹馬青梅竹马 (qīngméizhúmǎ). Compare Japanese 竹馬の友 (chikuba no tomo, childhood friend, literally bamboo horse friend).

Pronunciation

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [tʰajŋ̟˧˧ maːj˧˧ t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˦ maː˦ˀ˥]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [tʰɛɲ˧˧ maːj˧˧ ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥ maː˧˨]
  • (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [tʰan˧˧ maːj˧˧ ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˥ maː˨˩˦]

Adjective

thanh mai trúc

  1. (chiefly fiction) alluding to the notion of being a childhood friend of the opposite sex to someone and growing to be in love with them or vice-versa
    bạn thanh mai trúc mã
    the boy/girl who was one's childhood friend and with whom one's now falling in love
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