# dumb "boston public" question

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-boston-public-question/54245
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 13, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-boston-public-question/54245 "2001-02-13T02:27:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-boston-public-question/54245/1 "2001-02-13T02:27:27Z")

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During the opening credits of “Boston Public” (a good show, if you’ve never seen it), you can see the word “Chaomung” (I believe I’m spelling that right) on a pillar in the school’s lobby. What does this mean? The word “Welcome” is on the same pillar on an adjacent side, so maybe it’s related? Pardon my ignorance, in case I’m missing something obvious…

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### Author: ![barker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barker)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-boston-public-question/54245/2 "2001-02-13T04:36:32Z")

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In Vietnamese:  
\*\*chào mØng \*\*vÎ khách quš nܧc ngoài  
To extend a welcome to, to do in honour of

Tough to translate out of the dialect, but phonetically **Welcome** is pretty close