Brrr…it’s cold. Duh, if it’s not cold then it’s not winter. Well, Vietnam is different, you only feel like winter if you live in the north. The south has no winter whatsoever. Let’s go over a list of vocabulary on the winter subject. I’m sure you will encounter or use them in your conversation in the winter months.

WINTER CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES

To stay warm, let’s check your closet and see what kind of quần áo và phụ kiện mùa đông (winter clothes and accessories) you have for mùa đông (winter)

Image taken and used with permission from Kandle Dart

• Áo khoác – Jacket
• Áo khoác phao – Down jacket/insulated jacket
• Áo khoác da – Leather jacket
• Áo mưa – Raincoat
• Áo măng-tô – Coat
• Áo len – Sweater
• Áo len cổ lọ – Turtle neck sweater
• Áo gió – Windbreaker
• Khăn quàng – Scarf
• Găng tay – Gloves
• Giầy bốt/giầy ủng – Boots
• Nón – Hat
• Bí tất – Socks

WINTER PHENOMENOM

Thời tiết mùa đông (winter weather) is unpredictable. It’s best to check dự báo thời tiết (weather forecast) each morning before you leave the house so you can be well prepared, especially if you plan to travel far. That’s what I do first thing in the morning when I awaken.

• Gió buốt –Wind chill
• Tuyết – Snow
• Hoa tuyết – Snow flake
• Bão tuyết – Blizzard/snow storm
• Mưa đá– Hail
• Tuyết đổ – Snowfall
• Sương giá – Frost
• Trụ băng – Icicles
• Đóng băng – Frozen

Don’t forget when you look at the temperature unit in Vietnam. It’s in Celsius, not in Fahrenheit. In case you forgot, the freezing point 32 degrees in Fahrenheit is equivalent to 0 degrees in Celsius; and the boiling point of water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit is equivalent to 100 degrees Celsius.

Growing up in south Vietnam, where winter doesn’t exist, things like snow, blizzard, and icicles are just things in the movies to me.

WINTER ACTIVITIES

Call me crazy, but I actually love all the snow days. Everything is so beautiful when the snow is still fresh. There is so much fun to chơi ném bóng tuyết (snowball fight) or to make người tuyết (snowman).  Các môn thể thao mùa đông (winter sports) include:

• Trượt băng – Ice skating
• Truọt băng nghệ thuật – Figure skating
• Trượt ván trên tuyết – Snowboarding
• Truọt tuyết – Skiing
• Khúc côn cầu trên băng – Ice hockey

It’s always exciting to watch Thế vận hội mùa đông (Winter Olympic Games) in the winter. This year, China hosts the games in Beijing. I bet it’s tough to organize this big event with all the COVID health and safety guidelines, to ensure the health of the participants, as well as the spectators.

Have you seen the mascot of Beijing 2022 Thế vận hội mùa đông? It’s really cute. It’s the panda named “Bing Dwen Dwen”! The word “Bing” in Chinese means ice. The Sino-Vietnamese word “băng” (ice) derived from the Chinese borrowed word (bing).

The cold in north Vietnam during winter months generally is mild, not bitterly cold. If you are a snow bird coming from a cold place and want some warm weather, visit Vietnam in the winter months. All you need is just a jacket if you travel to the north and you could wear shorts in the south. Actually, it’s more fun to travel there in the winter months because there are lots of interesting festivals between January and March, notably Tết nguyên đán (Lunar new year) which will fall on February 1 this year.

Image taken and used with permission from Kandle Dart