Nghĩa là gì?

• nghĩa = meaning
• là = is / to be
• gì = what

So the structure is basically Meaning is what? This is a very normal Vietnamese way to ask What does it mean?

Vietnamese often keeps the question word in the place where the missing information would normally go.

In English, we move what to the front:

• What does it mean?

In Vietnamese, the equivalent idea stays in its normal position:

• Nghĩa là gì?
• literally: Meaning is what?

This is very common in Vietnamese:

• Bạn tên gì? = What is your name?
  literally: You named what?
• Bạn đi đâu? = Where are you going?
  literally: You go where?

Usually yes, in this sentence.

Là links nghĩa and gì, like is in English. Without it, Nghĩa gì? would sound unnatural in most situations.

A very common fuller version is:

• Có nghĩa là gì? = What does it mean?

So:

• Nghĩa là gì? = slightly shorter
• Có nghĩa là gì? = very common, natural, and complete

Both are used.

Because Vietnamese question words usually stay in place rather than moving to the front.

Here, gì is asking for the unknown thing: the meaning.

Compare:

• Đây là gì? = What is this?
• Bạn thích gì? = What do you like?
• Nghĩa là gì? = What does it mean?

So gì at the end is exactly what you should expect in Vietnamese.

Here, nghĩa is basically a noun, meaning meaning.

So the sentence is built around the idea:

• nghĩa = meaning
• là gì = is what

Vietnamese also has the verb nghĩa là, which works like to mean in many contexts:

• Từ này nghĩa là... = This word means...

So in real usage, learners often experience nghĩa là almost like a set phrase meaning means / that means.

A rough guide:

• nghĩa → sounds approximately like nghee-uh, with a broken, dipping-rising tone
• là → like lah, with a low falling tone
• gì → like zee or yee depending on dialect, with a low falling tone

Important notes:

• ngh is used before i, e, ê to represent the ng sound
• nghĩa has a tricky vowel combination and tone, so it may take practice
• gi is pronounced differently by region:
  • Northern: often like z
  • Southern: often like y

So in the North, gì may sound closer to zì; in the South, closer to yì.

It is understandable and neutral, but by itself it can sound a little direct depending on the situation.

If you want to be more polite, you can say:

• Nghĩa là gì ạ?
• Cho em hỏi, nghĩa là gì ạ?
• Từ này nghĩa là gì ạ?

Adding ạ makes the question softer and more polite.

So:

• Nghĩa là gì? = fine, neutral
• Nghĩa là gì ạ? = more polite

Both can mean What does it mean?

• Nghĩa là gì? = shorter
• Có nghĩa là gì? = slightly fuller and very common

You will often hear:

• Từ này có nghĩa là gì? = What does this word mean?
• Câu này có nghĩa là gì? = What does this sentence mean?

In many situations, the two are interchangeable. The version with có can sound a bit more complete or natural when attached to a noun like từ này or câu này.

You can use it by itself if the context is already clear.

For example, if someone just said a word you do not know, you can ask:

• Nghĩa là gì?

But very often, Vietnamese speakers specify what they are asking about:

• Từ này nghĩa là gì? = What does this word mean?
• Câu này nghĩa là gì? = What does this sentence mean?
• Chữ này nghĩa là gì? = What does this character/letter mean?

So the short version is natural when everyone already knows what you are referring to.

Yes. Vietnamese often leaves out pronouns like it or that when the context is obvious.

So Nghĩa là gì? can work like:

• What does it mean?
• What does that mean?
• What is the meaning?

If you want to be more specific, you can add something:

• Cái đó nghĩa là gì? = What does that mean?
• Từ đó nghĩa là gì? = What does that word mean?

Yes, several.

Common variations include:

• Có nghĩa là gì? = What does it mean?
• Từ này nghĩa là gì? = What does this word mean?
• Câu này nghĩa là gì? = What does this sentence mean?
• Cái này có nghĩa là gì? = What does this mean?
• Nghĩa là sao? = What does that mean? / How should I understand that?

Nghĩa là sao? is more conversational and can sometimes sound like:

• What do you mean?
• How am I supposed to understand that?

So Nghĩa là gì? is a straightforward meaning question, while Nghĩa là sao? is often a bit more interpretive or conversational.

It is especially common when:

• asking about the meaning of a new word
• asking what a phrase or sentence means
• asking for clarification in conversation
• asking about translation or vocabulary

For example:

• You see an unfamiliar Vietnamese word in a book.
• Someone says something you do not understand.
• You are studying and want to ask what a sentence means.

Typical examples:

• Từ “bận” nghĩa là gì? = What does the word bận mean?
• Câu này nghĩa là gì? = What does this sentence mean?

So it is a very useful everyday study phrase for Vietnamese learners.