hằng hà sa số

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 恆河沙數, composed of 恆河 (“Ganges”), 沙 (“sand”) and 數 (“number”). See also Chinese 恆河沙 / 恒河沙 (hénghéshā, “10⁵²”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [haŋ˨˩ haː˨˩ saː˧˧ so˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [haŋ˦˩ haː˦˩ ʂaː˧˧ ʂow˨˩˦] ~ [haŋ˦˩ haː˦˩ saː˧˧ sow˨˩˦]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [haŋ˨˩ haː˨˩ ʂaː˧˧ ʂow˦˥] ~ [haŋ˨˩ haː˨˩ saː˧˧ sow˦˥]

• Audio (Hà Nội):

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Noun

Hằng Hà sa số

1. (literal) the number of sand grains in the Ganges River

Adjective

hằng hà sa số

1. (figurative) unfathomably numerous

See also

• vô số (“countless”)