lai
Hanoi [laːj˧˧]Huế [laːj˧˧]Saigon [laːj˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
lai means to tow.
Meanings of lai in English
Verb
- to tow
- to carry (someone) on one's bicycle or motorbike pillion; to give someone a lift on the bicycle or motorbike
Adjective
- of mixed blood; crossbred
- con laicrossbred offspring
Noun
- Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam hemline; turn-up
Noun
- Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam hundredth part of a tael (equal to 0.378 g)
Noun
- candlenut; candleberry (Aleurites moluccanus)
Verb
- abbreviation short for lai giống (“to crossbreed”)
Words with lai
Example sentences with lai
- Phúc bất trùng lai, họa vô đơn chí. When it rains, it pours.
- Phúc bất trùng lai. When it rains, it pours.
- Tôi rời Thượng Hải vào năm ngoái và chưa có dịp quay lai. I left Shanghai last year and I've never been back.
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, lai could be written as 來. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 騾 (“mule”, SV: la, loa).
Frequently asked questions
What does lai mean in English?
lai (verb) means "to tow".
How do you pronounce lai?
IPA: Hanoi [laːj˧˧]; Saigon [laːj˧˧]. Tones: lai — level tone (ngang).