phi công

phi công is the Vietnamese noun for a pilot or aviator: the person at the controls of an aircraft, whether an airplane or a helicopter. You’ll hear it in natural contexts like stating someone’s profession, talking about a childhood dream, or describing the pilot as the subject of an action. But phi công also becomes more interesting when it combines with other words: phi công chiến đấu, phi công thử nghiệm, and even phi công vũ trụ. The lesson also compares it with người lái máy bay and phi hành gia, plus a careful note on the slang phrase phi công trẻ. Watch the full lesson to learn how context changes the meaning.