cù lao
noun Sino-Vietnamese
Hanoi [ku˨˩ laːw˧˧]Huế [kʊw˦˩ laːw˧˧]Saigon [kʊw˨˩ laːw˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
cù lao means river island; ait.
Meanings of cù lao in English
Noun
- river island, ait
- small island, islet
Noun
- obsolete labor, toil, drudgery
Etymology
Of Austronesian origin, compare Eastern Cham ꨚꨯꨤꨱ (palau, “island”), Malay pulau, Tagalog pulo.
Frequently asked questions
What does cù lao mean in English?
cù lao (noun) means "river island; ait".
How do you pronounce cù lao?
IPA: Hanoi [ku˨˩ laːw˧˧]; Saigon [kʊw˨˩ laːw˧˧]. Tones: cù — falling tone (huyền), lao — level tone (ngang).
Is cù lao a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. cù lao is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 劬勞.
What classifier is used with cù lao?
Common classifiers: hòn, cái — for example "một hòn cù lao" (one river island).