nước mắm

nước (“water”) +‎ mắm (“salted fish”)

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [nɨək̚˧˦ mam˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [nɨək̚˦˧˥ mam˦˧˥]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [nɨək̚˦˥ mam˦˥]

nước mắm

1. A light brown, watery fish sauce used in Vietnamese cookery.
2. A mixture of this sauce with water, lemon juice, sugar, and various seasonings such as garlic and black pepper.

• (mixture with water etc.): mắm pha
• (mixture with water etc.): nước chấm

• mắm tôm

• "Southeast Asian American Food Habits" (1980), U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, p. 6