nội bất xuất, ngoại bất nhập

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 内 (“inside”), 不出 (“to not come out”), 外 (“outside”) and 不入 (“to not come in”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [noj˧˨ʔ ʔɓət̚˧˦ swət̚˧˦ ŋwaːj˧˨ʔ ʔɓət̚˧˦ ɲəp̚˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [noj˨˩ʔ ʔɓək̚˦˧˥ swək̚˦˧˥ ŋwaːj˨˩ʔ ʔɓək̚˦˧˥ ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [noj˨˩˨ ʔɓək̚˦˥ s⁽ʷ⁾ək̚˦˥ ŋwaːj˨˩˨ ʔɓək̚˦˥ ɲəp̚˨˩˨]

Phrase

nội bất xuất, ngoại bất nhập

1. (literal) nothing inside can come out, nothing outside can come in
2. the place in question is sealed shut or heavily guarded