kỳ cục
IPA built syllable by syllable from each syllable's entry.
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
kỳ cục means strange; odd; weird.
Also spelled kì cục — same word, same meaning.
Meanings of kỳ cục in English
Adjective
- Southern Vietnam, colloquial strange; odd; weird
Verb
- colloquial to work or toil (at something); to do something painstakingly
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 奇 (“wonderful, strange”) and 局 (“bent, crooked”), Literally, “novel and tricky”. Often used with a homonym from 棋局 (qíjú, “arrangement of pieces on a chessboard”) to form kì cục kì cục (棋局奇局) (novel and tricky moves). As this word traveled to the South, where the original meaning is not well-understood, people associated it with a negative connotation.
Frequently asked questions
What does kỳ cục mean in English?
kỳ cục (adjective) means "strange; odd; weird".
How do you pronounce kỳ cục?
IPA: Hanoi [ki˨˩ kʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [kɪj˨˩ kʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨]. Tones: kỳ — falling tone (huyền), cục — heavy tone (nặng).