lau
Hanoi [law˧˧]Huế [law˧˧]Saigon [la(ː)w˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
lau means reed; arundinaceous cane.
Classifier: cây — e.g. một cây lau (one reed)
Meanings of lau in English
Noun
- reed, arundinaceous cane
Verb
- to clean by wiping or rubbing with a wet cloth
Words with lau
Example sentences with lau
- Hãy dùng khăn lau khô mặt đi. Dry your face with a towel.
- Tôi đang lau tay bằng cái gì? What am I wiping my hands with?
- Tom đã lau người bằng khăn tắm. Tom dried himself with a bath towel.
- Dùng khăn lau khô mặt đi. Dry your face with a towel.
- Bạn đang lau tay bằng khăn. You're wiping your hands with a towel.
- Tom lau người bằng khăn tắm. Tom dried himself with a bath towel.
- Tom lau sạch điện thoại thông minh của mình. Tom cleaned his smartphone.
- Lau mắt đi. Wipe your eyes.
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, lau could be written as 𣓿, 𦰤. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
From Proto-Vietic *k-luː, cognate with Arem alaw.
Frequently asked questions
What does lau mean in English?
lau (noun) means "reed; arundinaceous cane".
How do you pronounce lau?
IPA: Hanoi [law˧˧]; Saigon [la(ː)w˧˧]. Tones: lau — level tone (ngang).
What classifier is used with lau?
Common classifiers: cây — for example "một cây lau" (one reed).