Vietnam Word Search

Hanoi, the Mekong, Pho and Lantern hide in the first grid, and a Vietnam War list is one pick away.

Name Date

Vietnam Word Search

Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go across and down.

0 of 16 words found

ZWATERBUFFALOTM

HRIWLBOUVXTOCOH

WMSRPHORFJATJPX

FBANHMIBCLNUHAB

OMHALONGBAYSDAH

TTUTNTKHANOIYSR

ISMEKONGNTINQCM

ZANWTROEHEAKWIO

DOJUSBHSDRAGONS

TDGSAIGONNBIAIO

WALURKPUXMOCNTY

IIRTIETPPHERGEM

GAEOCONICALHATG

XOHAEORHHALORFT

MHOCHIMINHCITYL

This grid is wider and taller than its box. Slide it to see every letter.To drag, hold the first letter for a moment, then slide.Keyboard: Tab to the grid, arrow keys to move, Enter on the first and last letter.

HanoiHANOI
Ho Chi Minh CityHO CHI MINH CITY
SaigonSAIGON
MekongMEKONG
Ha Long BayHA LONG BAY
RiceRICE
PhoPHO
Banh MiBANH MI
LanternLANTERN
LotusLOTUS
DragonDRAGON
Water BuffaloWATER BUFFALO
Conical HatCONICAL HAT
MotorbikeMOTORBIKE
Ao DaiAO DAI
TetTET

16 of 28 words from the Vietnam Favorites list.

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Easy: words go across and down.

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Show clues, not words

Word list

Large print Lower-case letters Name and date line on paper

The puzzle changes as you go. See the puzzle

Answer key: Vietnam Word Search

ZWATERBUFFALOTM

HRIWLBOUVXTOCOH

WMSRPHORFJATJPX

FBANHMIBCLNUHAB

OMHALONGBAYSDAH

TTUTNTKHANOIYSR

ISMEKONGNTINQCM

ZANWTROEHEAKWIO

DOJUSBHSDRAGONS

TDGSAIGONNBIAIO

WALURKPUXMOCNTY

IIRTIETPPHERGEM

GAEOCONICALHATG

XOHAEORHHALORFT

MHOCHIMINHCITYL

HANOI, HO CHI MINH CITY, SAIGON, MEKONG, HA LONG BAY, RICE, PHO, BANH MI, LANTERN, LOTUS, DRAGON, WATER BUFFALO, CONICAL HAT, MOTORBIKE, AO DAI, TET

Next step Make a puzzle from your own Vietnam unit words Scramble the Vietnamese city and food names

All 202 words

Vietnamese Cities and Towns 18

Buon Ma Thuot Main town of the Central Highlands.
Can Tho Largest city of the Mekong Delta, known for its floating market.
Da Lat Cool hill town among pine forests, known for flowers and vegetables.
Da Nang Big port in the middle of the coast, between the old towns of Hue and Hoi An.
Haiphong Chief seaport of the north.
Hanoi Capital on the Red River, known for its lakes and its Old Quarter.
Ho Chi Minh City Biggest urban center in the country, in the south, once called Saigon.
Hoi An Old trading port whose streets glow with silk lanterns at night.
Hue Former royal capital on the Perfume River, home of the Nguyen emperors until 1945.
Lao Cai Border town on the Red River, facing China.
My Tho Gateway town to the Mekong Delta, on one of the river's branches.
Nha Trang Beach resort on a bay of the south-central coast.
Phan Thiet Fishing port known for fish sauce and for nearby sand dunes.
Quy Nhon Coastal city of the south-central region, with brick towers built by the Cham people.
Sa Pa Hill town of the far northwest, a base for treks toward Fansipan.
Saigon Older name of the southern metropolis, still used for its downtown and its river.
Vinh City of the north-central coast, close to the village where Ho Chi Minh was born.
Vung Tau Seaside town at the tip of a peninsula on the southern coast, known for its beaches.

Show all 202 words (184 more)

Vietnam Land and Water 28

Annamite Range Chain of mountains that runs along the border with Laos.
Ban Gioc Wide waterfall on the border with China.
Cambodia Neighbor to the southwest, also on the Mekong.
Cat Ba Rugged island beside Ha Long Bay, home to a very rare langur.
Coastline The meeting of land and sea, which runs the whole length of this long, narrow country.
Con Dao Group of islands off the south coast where sea turtles nest.
Delta Fan of flat, fertile land where a river splits before reaching the sea; the south has a famous one.
Fansipan Highest peak in the country, nicknamed the Roof of Indochina.
Gulf of Thailand Shallow sea to the southwest, around the island of Phu Quoc.
Ha Long Bay Sea inlet of towering limestone islands whose name means descending dragon.
Hai Van Pass Mountain road above the sea between Hue and Da Nang, whose name speaks of ocean and cloud.
Highlands Cool upland plateaus of the center, home to many ethnic groups.
Indochina Peninsula of Southeast Asia shared with Laos and Cambodia; also the name of the old French colony.
Jungle Thick tropical forest.
Karst Landscape of limestone eaten by water into towers, sinkholes and caves.
Laos Landlocked neighbor to the west.
Limestone Pale rock that forms the islands of Ha Long Bay.
Mangrove Tree that stands on stilt roots in salty coastal mud.
Mekong Great river that ends its long journey from the Tibetan Plateau in the far south of the country.
Monsoon Seasonal wind that brings months of heavy rain.
Perfume River Waterway that flows through the old royal capital of Hue.
Phong Nha National park of caves and underground rivers in the limestone of the central region.
Phu Quoc Big island in the far southwest, known for beaches, fish sauce and pepper farms.
Red River Waterway of the north that flows from China past Hanoi to the Gulf of Tonkin.
Son Doong Enormous cave in the central mountains, with a river and a patch of forest inside it.
South China Sea Body of water off the long eastern coast, which the Vietnamese call the East Sea.
Tropics Warm belt of the Earth on either side of the Equator, where this country lies.
Typhoon Violent tropical storm that strikes the coast.

Vietnamese Food 31

Banana Leaf Green wrapper for the sticky rice cakes boiled for Tet.
Banh Mi Crisp baguette sandwich filled with meat, pickled vegetables and herbs.
Banh Xeo Crisp yellow pancake folded over shrimp and bean sprouts; the name imitates its sizzle.
Bun Cha Hanoi dish of grilled pork served with cold noodles and herbs.
Cashew Curved nut that grows at the end of a pear-shaped fruit.
Catfish Whiskered fish farmed in the Mekong Delta.
Chili Small hot pepper served fresh or as a sauce.
Chopsticks Pair of slim sticks used for eating.
Cilantro Leafy green herb scattered over soups and sandwiches.
Cinnamon Sweet spice from tree bark, another flavor of pho broth.
Coconut Palm fruit; Ben Tre in the delta is famous for its groves.
Dragon Fruit Pink-skinned produce of a climbing cactus, with speckled flesh; a major export crop.
Durian Large spiky fruit famous for its powerful smell.
Fish Sauce Salty amber liquid made from fermented anchovies, used in a great many dishes.
Ginger Spicy root used fresh in soups and dipping sauces.
Jackfruit Huge bumpy fruit that grows straight from the trunk of its tree.
Lemongrass Tall grass with a citrus scent, used to flavor soups and grilled meat.
Lime Small green citrus fruit squeezed over soup.
Lychee Small fruit with rough red skin and sweet white flesh.
Mango Sweet tropical fruit, also eaten green with salt and chili.
Mooncake Round filled pastry shared at the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Noodles Long strands made from rice or wheat flour, eaten in soups and salads.
Pepper Black spice grown on vines, one of the country's big export crops.
Pho Noodle soup of clear broth, herbs and beef or chicken, sold at street stalls everywhere.
Pomelo Giant citrus fruit, like a mild sweet grapefruit.
Rambutan Red fruit covered in soft hairy spines.
Rice Staple grain of every meal and one of the country's biggest export crops.
Shrimp Shellfish raised in ponds along the coast and in the delta.
Spring Roll Bite of fillings wrapped in thin rice paper, served fresh or fried.
Star Anise Eight-pointed spice pod that scents pho broth.
Tofu Soft white curd made from soybeans.

Vietnamese Arts and Festivals 24

Alphabet Set of letters; the name of the one used here means script of the national language.
Ao Dai Long, fitted tunic with side slits worn over trousers; the national dress.
Calligraphy Art of beautiful writing, given as a gift at Tet.
Dan Bau Instrument with a single string, whose notes are bent with a flexible rod.
Dragon Legendary creature of good fortune in Vietnamese stories and festival dances.
Gong Bronze disk struck in the music of the Central Highlands.
Kite Toy flown on a string; some here carry small flutes that hum in the wind.
Kumquat Small orange fruit tree placed in homes at Tet for good luck.
Lacquer Glossy coating built up in many layers on boxes and paintings.
Lantern Paper or silk lamp; the old streets of Hoi An are hung with them.
Lotus Pink flower that rises from muddy ponds, treated as the national flower.
Lunar New Year Holiday set by the Moon's calendar, which falls in late January or February.
Mid-Autumn Festival of lanterns and mooncakes held at a full moon, mostly for children.
Nguyen Very common family name, also the name of the last royal dynasty.
Peach Blossom Pink flowering branch that decorates homes in the north at Tet.
Red Envelope Packet of lucky money given to children at the new year.
Shuttlecock Feathered object kept in the air with the feet in a popular street game.
Silk Smooth, shiny cloth woven from threads that caterpillars spin.
Tet The great holiday of the year, when families gather and children receive lucky money.
Tones Rises and falls of the voice that change the meaning of a word.
Vietnamese The national language, written with Latin letters and marks that show its tones.
Vovinam Vietnamese martial art known for its flying scissor kicks.
Water Puppet Wooden figure that seems to dance on a pond, worked by hidden rods; an art born in rice fields.
Zodiac Cycle of twelve animal years; here the cat takes the place of the rabbit.

Everyday Life in Vietnam 25

Bamboo Giant woody grass used for houses, baskets, boats and flutes.
Basket Boat Round woven craft that coastal fishers paddle like a floating bowl.
Bicycle Two-wheeled pedal vehicle, often loaded high with goods.
Conical Hat Cone-shaped headwear of palm leaves that keeps off sun and rain.
Cyclo Three-wheeled pedal taxi with the passenger seat in front.
Dong The national money.
Embroidery Decorative stitching with needle and thread.
Farmer Person who works the land.
Ferry Boat that carries people and motorbikes across a river.
Fishing Net Mesh cast or lifted to catch seafood.
Floating Market Place where traders sell fruit and vegetables straight from their boats.
Hammock Hanging bed of netting or cloth, strung up for a midday rest.
Harvest Gathering in of a ripe crop.
Junk Wooden sailing ship with ribbed sails, seen on Ha Long Bay.
Motorbike The usual family vehicle, filling the streets of every city.
Pottery Fired clay ware, the craft of Bat Trang village near Hanoi.
Rice Paddy Flooded field where the main grain crop is grown.
Rice Terrace Step cut into a hillside for growing grain, as around Sa Pa.
Sampan Small flat-bottomed wooden boat.
Stilt House Home raised on posts, common in the highlands and over water.
Street Food Meals cooked and sold at sidewalk stalls.
Tailor Maker of clothes cut and sewn to fit one person.
Village Small rural community, traditionally ringed by a hedge of bamboo.
Water Buffalo Strong, patient animal that pulls plows through flooded fields.
Weaving Making cloth or mats by interlacing threads or reeds.

Vietnam Wildlife and Plants 29

Banyan Fig tree that drops roots from its branches.
Butterfly Insect with large, colorful wings.
Coral Tiny animals that build reefs in warm, clear seas.
Crane Tall gray bird with a red head; the sarus kind visits delta wetlands.
Crocodile Big-jawed reptile; the Siamese kind is now very rare in the wild.
Douc Colorful monkey with red legs, as if dressed in a costume.
Dragonfly Fast-flying insect that hovers over ponds and paddies.
Dugong Gentle sea mammal that grazes on seagrass in warm coastal waters.
Egret White wading bird of rice fields.
Elephant Largest land animal of Asia; a few wild herds remain in the highlands.
Firefly Beetle that glows at night.
Frangipani Tree with sweet-smelling white and yellow flowers.
Gecko Small lizard that walks on walls and calls at night.
Gibbon Small ape that sings at dawn and swings through the treetops.
Hornbill Large bird with a huge curved bill and a casque on top.
King Cobra Longest venomous snake in the world.
Kingfisher Bright bird that dives for fish.
Langur Leaf-eating monkey with a long tail; several rare kinds live only here.
Macaque Common monkey of forests and temple grounds.
Mudskipper Fish that hops across mangrove mud on its fins.
Orchid Flower with showy petals that often grows on trees in humid forests.
Pangolin Scaly anteater that rolls into a ball.
Peafowl Green long-tailed bird of the forest, related to the pheasant.
Python Giant snake that squeezes its prey.
Saola Shy forest ox with long straight horns, unknown to science until 1992.
Sea Turtle Shelled ocean swimmer that lays its eggs on sandy beaches.
Silkworm Caterpillar that spins the thread for a prized cloth.
Sun Bear Small member of its family, with a pale chest patch.
Tiger Great striped cat, now almost gone from the country's forests.

Vietnam Landmarks 21

Ba Dinh Hanoi square where independence was declared in 1945.
Ben Thanh Big covered market with a clock tower in central Saigon.
Cat Tien Lowland forest park in the south with crocodiles and gibbons.
Citadel Fortress; the ancient one in Hanoi, Thang Long, is a World Heritage Site.
Cuc Phuong National park of ancient giant trees and rare monkeys, south of Hanoi.
Dragon Bridge Span in Da Nang shaped like a golden mythical beast that breathes fire on weekend nights.
Hoan Kiem Small lake in central Hanoi whose name means Lake of the Returned Sword.
Imperial City Walled palace compound of the emperors at Hue.
Japanese Bridge Roofed wooden crossing in Hoi An, first built by traders from Japan.
Long Bien Old steel railway bridge over the Red River in Hanoi.
My Son Ruined brick towers of the Cham kingdom in a jungle valley.
Ninh Binh Region south of Hanoi with the limestone landscapes of Trang An and Tam Coc.
Old Quarter Maze of narrow trading streets in the heart of Hanoi, many named for the goods once sold there.
Opera House Grand theater built in French times in Hanoi; Saigon and Haiphong have their own.
Pagoda Tiered tower or temple building.
Po Nagar Cham brick towers on a hill above Nha Trang.
Tam Coc River caves reached by rowboat through rice fields; the name means three caves.
Thang Long Old name of Hanoi, meaning rising dragon.
Thien Mu Tall pagoda tower above the Perfume River at Hue.
Trang An Landscape of limestone peaks and river caves toured by rowboat, near Ninh Binh.
Turtle Tower Little stone landmark on an islet in the middle of a Hanoi lake.

Vietnam War 26

Boat People Name given to those who fled the country in small craft after the war.
Ceasefire Agreement to stop shooting.
Cold War Long rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that shaped this conflict.
Cu Chi Rural area near Saigon with a vast network of wartime tunnels, now open to visitors.
Dien Bien Phu Town in a far northwestern valley where a 1954 battle ended French rule.
DMZ Short for the strip of no-man's-land that separated north from south.
Doi Moi Economic reforms begun in 1986 that opened the country to trade.
Domino Theory Idea that if one country turned communist, its neighbors would follow.
Draft System that called young American men into the army.
Fall of Saigon Capture of the southern capital on April 30, 1975, which ended the war.
Geneva Swiss city where peace talks in 1954 split the country in two.
Gulf of Tonkin Arm of the sea off the north coast, where a naval clash in 1964 drew the United States deeper into war.
Helicopter Aircraft that became a symbol of this war, carrying troops over jungle and rice fields.
Ho Chi Minh Trail Web of jungle supply paths that ran from north to south through Laos and Cambodia.
Memorial Black granite wall in Washington carved with more than 58,000 names.
North Vietnam Communist state above the dividing line from 1954, with Hanoi as its capital.
Peace Accords Agreement signed in Paris in January 1973 that ended the American part in the fighting.
Protest Public demonstration; many Americans marched against the war.
Refugee Person forced to flee home; a great many left by sea after 1975.
Reunification Joining of north and south into one country, made official in 1976.
South Vietnam State below the dividing line until 1975, backed by the United States.
Tet Offensive Wave of surprise attacks on southern cities at the new year holiday of 1968.
Uncle Ho Affectionate name for the leader who declared independence in 1945.
Veteran Person who served in the armed forces.
Viet Cong Name used for the communist guerrilla force in the south.
Viet Minh Independence league that fought Japanese occupation and then French rule.

How this list was compiled: Own work. Words and names about Vietnam for grades 3 to 8: eight themed lists (cities and towns; land and water; food; arts and festivals; everyday life; wildlife and plants; landmarks; the Vietnam War), Vietnam Favorites, an easy list of every word of 3 to 5 letters and a hard list of every word of 8 letters or more. Entries have 3 to 14 letters, and inside one list no word sits inside another, forwards or backwards. Vietnamese names are spelled without tone marks, as English atlases and dictionaries print them (Hue, Hoi An, Pho), and the grid keeps only the letters A to Z, so Ha Long Bay is hidden as HALONGBAY. Clues are our own wording; no clue repeats a word of four letters or more from its own entry. No brand, living person or drink is listed, and a festival is a plain name with a neutral clue. The Vietnam War list holds names and terms a history class meets, each clued in one plain sentence. Vietnam redrew its provinces and cities in 2025, so a clue says where a town lies, not which province governs it. Places, people, animals and terms were checked on 16 October 2026 against the English Wikipedia article for each entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam, license CC BY-SA 4.0). Dates and records were checked the same day in a second work: Store norske leksikon (https://snl.no/Vietnam and its articles on Hue, Ho Chi Minh, Dien Bien Phu, Fansipan, Can Tho, Doi moi, the saola, the king cobra, the Asian elephant and the Vietnam War), the Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State (https://history.state.gov/milestones, its pages on Dien Bien Phu, the Gulf of Tonkin and the Tet Offensive) and the National Park Service page of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (https://www.nps.gov/vive). Where no second work gave a date or a record, the clue leaves it out. Unofficial and not affiliated with any government; an educational puzzle, so check an official source before you rely on a fact. Licence: own work

How it works

This Vietnam word search opens with Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, Ha Long Bay, Rice, Banh Mi, Lotus and 10 more favorites. Eight lists go further: cities, land and water, food, festivals, everyday life, wildlife, landmarks and the Vietnam War.

Read the full guide

Seven lists for the country, one for the war

The eighth list, Vietnam War, is for a history unit: Dien Bien Phu, Geneva, DMZ, Gulf of Tonkin, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Tet Offensive, Peace Accords and Fall of Saigon, each with a one-sentence clue. The other seven are about the country today.

Names without tone marks

Vietnamese is written with Latin letters and tone marks. The puzzle spells names the way English atlases do, so Hue, Hoi An and Pho carry no marks, and a two-word name loses its space in the grid: Banh Mi hides as BANHMI and Ao Dai as AODAI.

Easy Vietnam has 39 short words, because so many names are brief: Hue, Vinh, Sa Pa, Pho, Tet, Dong, Kite, Gong.
In the Vietnamese zodiac the cat takes the rabbit's year: Zodiac is in Vietnamese Arts and Festivals.

Questions and answers

Is there a Vietnam War word search on this page?

Yes. Under Start from a list, pick Vietnam War: 26 names and terms, from Viet Minh, Viet Cong and Uncle Ho to Draft, Protest, Veteran and Memorial, the black granite wall in Washington carved with more than 58,000 names.

Can I print the Vietnam word search with an answer key?

Yes. Print or save as PDF gives the puzzle with a Name and Date line, then the key on its own page. New puzzle deals another 16 words from the same list for the next table.

Is pho in the Vietnam word search?

Yes, in the first grid with Banh Mi and Rice. Vietnamese Food has 31 entries: Bun Cha, Banh Xeo, Spring Roll and Fish Sauce, flavors such as Lemongrass and Star Anise, and fruit from Dragon Fruit to Durian.

Can the Vietnam word search be a geography quiz?

Open More options and tick Show clues, not words. Ha Long Bay becomes "Sea inlet of towering limestone islands whose name means descending dragon", and Fansipan the highest peak in the country.

All 202 words

Vietnamese Cities and Towns 18

Vietnam Land and Water 28

Vietnamese Food 31

Vietnamese Arts and Festivals 24

Everyday Life in Vietnam 25

Vietnam Wildlife and Plants 29

Vietnam Landmarks 21

Vietnam War 26

How it works

Seven lists for the country, one for the war

Names without tone marks

Questions and answers

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