Calque of Chinese 苦海 (khổ hải).
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔɓe˧˩ xo˧˩]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔɓej˧˨ kʰow˧˨] ~ [ʔɓej˧˨ xow˧˨] invalid IPA characters (][)
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [ʔɓej˨˩˦ kʰow˨˩˦] ~ [ʔɓej˨˩˦ xow˨˩˦] invalid IPA characters (][)
bể khổ
- (originally Buddhism) sea of suffering; ocean of misery