ma ăn cỗ

Vietnamese

Etymology

From ma (“ghost”) +‎ ăn (“eat”) +‎ cỗ (“feast”). This refers to the tradition of preparing a feast for the deceased during deathday commemorations or similar events for their ghosts to consume. However, even after the ghosts have allegedly had their meal, the feast remains untouched. It is unknown how or where the ghosts have had their meal, making it a secret.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [maː˧˧ ʔan˧˧ ko˦ˀ˥]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [maː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ kow˧˨]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [maː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ kow˨˩˦]

Idiom

ma ăn cỗ

1. (uncommon) any act carried out so clandestinely and secretly that all traces are erased, especially illicit affairs

   Quý bà ngã ngửa khi phát hiện chuyện "ma ăn cỗ" ngay trong nhà.

   A woman was shocked to find an illicit affair in her house.

Usage notes

Often preceded by negative phrases such as ai biết được, ai mà biết, ai biết đâu, nào ai biết, làm sao mà biết + chuyện/chỗ with the meaning "although one does not witness something for themselves, they still suspect that it exists".

• Ai biết chuyện ma ăn cỗ.
• Biết đâu chỗ ma ăn cỗ.