Etymology

ba ‎(“three”) +‎ tàu ‎(“ship”) Many Chinese refugees came to Vietnam in boats during the Qing Dynasty and were known for transporting goods by boat. One possible etymology for ba ‎(“three”) is that the Nguyen lords permitted the refugees to settle in three communities, in Cù Lao Phố (present-day Đồng Nai), the Cholon district of Saigon, and Hà Tiên.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ˀɓaː˧˧ tɐw˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ˀɓaː˧˧ tɐw˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ˀɓaː˧˥ tɐw˨˩]