A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Hanoi
Pronounce the capital of Vietnam like 'hi-noy', with stress on the second syllable. Avoid 'ha-NO-ee'.
hanoi
hai-NOY
/haɪˈnɔɪ/ · ha · noy
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It's the capital city, so it appears frequently in news reports about Vietnam, travel guides, and when ordering Vietnamese food, especially pho or bun cha, which are often associated with the city.
Where the word comes from
The name 'Hanoi' comes from Vietnamese, meaning 'between rivers'. It was historically known as Thăng Long ('Ascending Dragon').
Common ways people get it wrong
- ha-NO-ee Some English speakers might try to pronounce the 'oi' as two separate vowel sounds, like 'oh-ee', but it's a single diphthong sound like in 'boy'.
- HAN-oy The stress is on the second syllable, 'noy', not the first. Think of it like 'hi-NOY'.
Frequently asked
How do you pronounce Hanoi?
The most common pronunciation in American English is hai-NOY, with the stress on the second syllable. The 'oi' sounds like the 'oy' in 'boy'.
Is it ha-NOY or HA-noy?
It's ha-NOY, with the emphasis on the second syllable. The first syllable sounds like 'hi'.
What does Hanoi mean?
The name Hanoi comes from Vietnamese and means 'between rivers'. It's the capital of Vietnam.
