ngoại khoa
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
ngoại khoa means surgery.
Meanings of ngoại khoa in English
Noun
- surgery (medical specialty)
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 外科, composed of 外 (“external”) and 科 (“branch; department”). The contrast between 外科 (wàikē, “surgery”, literally “external branch”) and 内科 (nèikē, “internal medicine”, literally “internal branch”) seemingly has to do with, respectively, "external" and "internal" conditions, but it is also possible because surgery in particular was considered "outside" of or "foreign" to all the disciplines known to traditional East Asian medicine.
Frequently asked questions
What does ngoại khoa mean in English?
ngoại khoa (noun) means "surgery".
How do you pronounce ngoại khoa?
IPA: Hanoi [ŋwaːj˧˨ʔ xwaː˧˧]; Saigon [ŋwaːj˨˩˨ kʰwaː˧˧]. Tones: ngoại — heavy tone (nặng), khoa — level tone (ngang).
Is ngoại khoa a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. ngoại khoa is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 外科.