cứ
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
cứ means no matter what; still.
Meanings of cứ in English
Adverb
- no matter what ≈ bất chấp
- colloquial still
Particle
- coinciding with every ...; every; each
Noun
- base of the resistance
Verb
- dated to pursue ≈ căn cứchiếu theo
- cứ theo quy định để xử phạt hành chínhto bear a fine from officials in the light of regulations.
Words with cứ
Example sentences with cứ
- Cứ hỏi anh ấy là tốt nhất. I'd better ask him.
- Tôi cứ tưởng là Mary yêu tôi. I thought Mary loved me.
- Chuyện này đang cứ lạ dần đi. This is getting weirder.
- Cứ bốn năm, có một năm nhuận. Every four years, it's a leap year.
- Anh ấy cứ đứng nhìn chằm chằm. He just stood and stared.
- Tôi cứ tưởng bạn là người Nhật. I thought you were Japanese.
- Cứ trả lời câu hỏi đi! Just answer the questions!
- Cứ tưởng là mình kịp giờ. I thought I was on time.
Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).
Usage note: cứ
cứ has no single English equivalent. It suggests "just go ahead", "keep on", or "always (annoyingly)".
- Go ahead, don't hesitate: Cứ ăn đi, đừng ngại. — Go ahead and eat, don't be shy. Cứ để đó. — Just leave it there.
- Keep on: Nó cứ khóc mãi. — She just keeps crying.
- Every time: Cứ đến Tết là tôi về quê. — Every Tet I go back to my hometown.
The tone matters: in the first use cứ is warm and encouraging; in the second it can show irritation: Sao anh cứ hỏi vậy? — Why do you keep asking that?
Very useful when a host offers something and you want to reassure them: Cứ tự nhiên. — Make yourself at home. (The host says this to you.)
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 據.
Frequently asked questions
What does cứ mean in English?
cứ (adverb) means "no matter what; still".
How do you pronounce cứ?
IPA: Hanoi [kɨ˧˦]; Saigon [kɨ˦˥]. Tones: cứ — rising tone (sắc).
Is cứ a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. cứ is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 據.