sạch bách

Vietnamese

Etymology

sạch +‎ bách, likely a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 白 (“white”, SV: bạch). It is not clear what triggered tonal dissimilation.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [sajk̟̚˧˨ʔ ʔɓajk̟̚˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʂat̚˨˩ʔ ʔɓat̚˦˧˥] ~ [sat̚˨˩ʔ ʔɓat̚˦˧˥]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʂat̚˨˩˨ ʔɓat̚˦˥] ~ [sat̚˨˩˨ ʔɓat̚˦˥]

Adjective

sạch bách

1. (colloquial) empty; vacant

   Mới ngồi có mấy phút mà nó ăn chén dĩa sạch bách hết rồi.

   Within just a few minutes, he already devoured everything on the table, not a thing is left.

   Túi sạch bách rồi, tiền đâu mà xin.

   I'm broke, so I can't lend you any right now.

   (literally, “My pocket is empty, no money for you to borrow.”)