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cái

Level ≈A1 (approx.) classifiernounadjective Top 1,000 most common
Hanoi [kaːj˧˦]Huế [kaːj˨˩˦]Saigon [kaːj˦˥] browser voice
Syllables · tones
cáirisingsắc

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

cái means (classifier for things); the thing.

Meanings of cái in English

Classifier

  1. Indicates an inanimate, tangible thing
    • Cái răng cái tóc là góc con người.Teeth and [head]hair are part and parcel of the human figure ~ Teeth and [head]hair tell how good one looks.
  2. colloquial Precedes another classifier (any one but “cái” itself), effectively acting as a focus marker, sometimes conveying a connotation of deprecation, especially if persons are referred to.
    • Cầm cái con dao này đưa cho mẹ.Take this knife and hand it to your mom.
    • Cái thằng đần thối này!You stinkin' moron!
  3. obsolete Indicates animals

Noun

  1. followed by verb utensil for ≈ đồ
    • cái đánh trứnga whisk
  2. followed by adjective that which is
    • cái đẹpbeauty
    • cái cao cảthe sublime
  3. followed by adverb way of working, way of doing (something)
  4. the solid bits (of a broth)
    • Canh này thì chỉ có nước là ngon, còn cái thì dở ẹc.Only the liquid part of this broth tastes good, the solid bits suck.

Noun

  1. Northern Vietnam, rustic indicates a young girl ≈ connhỏbé
    • cái Hằngthe young girl Hằng
  2. of gambling sessions or cardplays banker, dealer or keeper
    • làm cái; cầm cáito act as a gamemaster for such games
    • nhà cáigambling house
  3. keeper
  4. synonym of gái ≈ gái
  5. obsolete mother

Adjective

  1. female
    • hoa cáicarpellate flower; female flower
    • nhị cáia pistil
  2. in compounds big, large, main
    • sông cáithe big river
    • ngón chân cáithe big toe

Words with cái

cái gìcái nàybèo cáichữ cáigiống cáingón cáicái búacái tôicái ghẻ

Idioms and sayings with cái

Synonyms and antonyms of cái

Synonyms

gáinữmái

Example sentences with cái

  • Tom sẽ ăn cái đó thật ư? Is Tom really going to eat that?
  • Cô ấy đặt nó vào cái hộp. She put it in the box.
  • Cái xe đạp này là của ai? Whose is this bicycle?
  • Anh ấy đã đào một cái hố. He dug a hole.
  • Ông ấy đã đào một cái hố. He dug a hole.
  • Cô ấy đã chọn một cái mũ. She chose a hat.
  • Tôi sẽ tự sửa cái máy đó. I'll repair that machine myself.
  • Cái hộp đó được làm từ gỗ. The box is made of wood.

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)

Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, cái could be written as 丐, 𫡔, 個, 𡛔. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.

Etymology

Cognate with Muong Bi cảy, Tho [Cuối Chăm] keː³, Chut [Mày] kɛ⁴ (Babaev & Samarina, 2018), Chut [Rục] kɛ⁴ (Nguyễn Văn Lợi, 1993).

Frequently asked questions

What does cái mean in English?

cái (classifier) means "(classifier for things); the thing".

How do you pronounce cái?

IPA: Hanoi [kaːj˧˦]; Saigon [kaːj˦˥]. Tones: cái — rising tone (sắc).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.