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vai

Level ≈A2 (approx.) noun Top 3,000 most common
Hanoi [vaːj˧˧]Huế [vaːj˧˧]Saigon [vaːj˧˧] browser voice
Syllables · tones
vailevelngang

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

vai means shoulder; role; part.

Meanings of vai in English

Noun

  1. shoulder
  2. role; part
    • vai chínhmain/lead role
    • vai phụsupporting role

Words with vai

bả vaisánh vaivai tròvai vế

Example sentences with vai

  • Nam diễn viên đã đóng nhiều vai. The actor has played many roles.
  • Hôm qua tôi bị đau vai. I hurt my shoulder yesterday.
  • Tôi bị đau vai. I have a pain in the shoulder.
  • Con chó vươn vai. The dog stretched.
  • Vai tôi đau quá, tôi không biết phải làm sao. My shoulder hurts so much, I don't know what to do.
  • Tôi đau vai. I hurt my shoulder.
  • Mái tóc dài của cô ấy rủ xuống đôi bờ vai. Her long hair cascaded down over her shoulders.
  • Vai tôi đau khi tôi nhấc cánh tay của mình lên. My shoulder hurts when I lift my arm.

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, vai could be written as 𣘾, 𦠘, 𦢳. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.

Etymology

Compare Proto-Katuic *ʔapaal (“shoulder”) (whence Pacoh apal).

Frequently asked questions

What does vai mean in English?

vai (noun) means "shoulder; role; part".

How do you pronounce vai?

IPA: Hanoi [vaːj˧˧]; Saigon [vaːj˧˧]. Tones: vai — level tone (ngang).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.