Definition

Number: - Five (when following a tens digit from twenty to ninety): A phonetic variant of "năm" (five), used specifically in cardinal numbers from 21 to 99, following the tens digit (e.g., twenty, thirty, etc.). It denotes the digit 5 in the ones place.

Usage

• Structure: The word "nhăm" is used exclusively in the pattern: [Tens digit (from hai mươi /20/ to chín mươi /90/)] + nhăm.
• Function: It forms numbers ending in 5, such as 25, 35, 45, etc. It cannot be used alone or in other positions (e.g., not for 5, 15, 105, or 500).

Usage Examples

• Cardinal Numbers:
  • Hai mươi nhăm học sinh. (Twenty-five students.)
  • Bà ấy năm nay bảy mươi nhăm tuổi. (She is seventy-five years old this year.)
  • Công ty có ba mươi nhăm nhân viên. (The company has thirty-five employees.)

Advanced Usage

• Contrast with "năm": The standard word for "five" is "năm". "Nhăm" is a regional or stylistic variant used only after tens digits (20-90) to avoid potential confusion in rapid speech, as "năm" (five) and "năm" (year) are homophones.
  • Compare: hai mươi năm (twenty years) vs. hai mươi nhăm (twenty-five).
• Formality: The use of "nhăm" is common in everyday Northern Vietnamese speech. In formal writing, "năm" is generally preferred, but "nhăm" is widely understood and accepted in informal contexts and specific numerals.

Variants and Related Words

• năm: The standard word for "five". It is used in all other contexts: alone (5), in numbers 5-15 (năm, mười lăm), in hundreds (năm trăm /500/), and is also the word for "year".
• lăm: Another variant for "five", used specifically after the tens digit "mười" to form 15 (mười lăm). Do not confuse "nhăm" (20-95) with "lăm" (15).

Synonyms

• năm: five (the standard synonym, but usage context differs).

Important Notes (Not Idioms or Phrasal Verbs)

• No Idioms or Phrasal Verbs: "Nhăm" is a numeral with a very specific, limited syntactic function. It does not form idioms or phrasal verbs.
• Regional Note: This variant is particularly characteristic of Northern Vietnamese dialects.

1. Five (coming after twenty, thirtỵ..)
   • Hai mươi nhăm tuổi Twenty-five years of age, twenty-five years old