tuồng

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tuəŋ˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tuəŋ˦˩]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tuəŋ˨˩]

The more original meaning word was "look; appearance", which then extended to the performance art due to the performers' eye-catching costumes; hát tuồng therefore can be understood as "costume singing" or "vocal performance with costumes".

tuồng • (從, 傱, 㗰, 象, 像)

1. (colloquial) look; appearance; mien
2. (by extension) classical Vietnamese opera (hát tuồng)
3. (derogatory) sort; kind (of person)

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “像?”)

• tượng

tuồng • (象)

1. (obsolete) probably, roughly
2. (obsolete) to seem; to look
   • Tân biên Truyền kỳ mạn lục tăng bổ giải âm tập chú (新編傳奇漫錄增補解音集註 "Newly Edited Collection of Truyền kỳ mạn lục with Supplemented Annotations, Phonetic Explanations, and Collected Notes"), volume 2; 69a

     課怒蹺車𤍌𨖲朝天宮，貝𤽗共及，象拱固縁柴四丕。

     Thuở nọ theo xe thiêng lên chầu Thiên Cung, với ngươi cùng gặp, tuồng cũng có duyên thầy tớ vậy.

     When I followed the sacred carriage to pay audience at the Heavenly Palace, I happened to meet you there; it seems we had a fated bond of a master and disciple.