chên

adjectivepreposition

Hanoi [t͡ɕen˧˧]Huế [t͡ɕen˧˧]Saigon [cəːn˧˧] browser voice

Syllables · tones

chênlevelngang

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

chên means upper; higher; superior.

Also spelled trên — same word, same meaning.

Meanings of chên in English

Adjective

upper
higher, superior

Preposition

on
- trên câyup on the tree

Etymology

From Proto-Vietic *k-leːɲ. Cognate with Muong Bi tliênh. Related to lên.

Frequently asked questions

What does chên mean in English?

chên (adjective) means "upper; higher; superior".

How do you pronounce chên?

IPA: Hanoi [t͡ɕen˧˧]; Saigon [cəːn˧˧]. Tones: chên — level tone (ngang).

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