muốn ăn thì lăn vào bếp

Vietnamese

Etymology

Literally, “If you want to eat, then roll into the kitchen”.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [muən˧˦ ʔan˧˧ tʰi˨˩ lan˧˧ vaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [muəŋ˦˧˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˦˩ laŋ˧˧ vaːw˦˩ ʔɓep̚˦˧˥]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [muəŋ˦˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˨˩ laŋ˧˧ vaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˦˥] ~ [muəŋ˦˥ ʔaŋ˧˧ tʰɪj˨˩ laŋ˧˧ jaːw˨˩ ʔɓep̚˦˥]

Phrase

muốn ăn thì lăn vào bếp

1. (idiomatic, humorous) if you are hungry, then you ought to cook for yourself, not waiting for others
2. (idiomatic, by extension) if you want to have something, take the initiative