mẫu tự
noun Sino-Vietnamese
Hanoi [məw˦ˀ˥ tɨ˧˨ʔ]Huế [məw˧˨ tɨ˨˩ʔ]Saigon [məw˨˩˦ tɨ˨˩˨] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
mẫu tự means letter.
Chinese characters: 母字 (母 “mother” + 字 “character”)
Meanings of mẫu tự in English
Noun
- formal letter ≈ chữ cái
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 母字, composed of 母 (“mother”) and 字 (“character”), anagram and misconstruction of Chinese 字母 (tự mẫu), perhaps due to the influence of chữ cái. Compare the case of có mặt (native compound) and hiện diện (its sinicized internal calque counterpart).
Frequently asked questions
What does mẫu tự mean in English?
mẫu tự (noun) means "letter".
How do you pronounce mẫu tự?
IPA: Hanoi [məw˦ˀ˥ tɨ˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [məw˨˩˦ tɨ˨˩˨]. Tones: mẫu — creaky rising tone (ngã), tự — heavy tone (nặng).
Is mẫu tự a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. mẫu tự is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 母字.