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xe điện

Level ≈B2 (approx.) noun Top 5,000 most common
Hanoi [sɛ˧˧ ʔɗiən˧˨ʔ]Huế [sɛ˧˧ ʔɗiəŋ˨˩ʔ]Saigon [sɛ˧˧ ʔɗiəŋ˨˩˨] browser voice
Syllables · tones
xelevelngangđiệnheavynặng

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

xe điện means an electric vehicle; an electric train.

Classifier: chiếc — e.g. một chiếc xe điện (one electric vehicle)

Meanings of xe điện in English

Noun

  1. an electric vehicle
    • xe điện Teslaa Tesla (electric car)
  2. an electric train ≈ tàu điện
  3. a tram

Example sentences with xe điện

  • Máy bay đã thế chỗ của xe điện. Airplanes have taken the place of electric trains.

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, xe điện could be written as 車電. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.

Etymology

xe (“wheeled vehicle”) + điện (“electricity”). Possibly a calque of Chinese 電車 /电车 (điện xa).

Frequently asked questions

What does xe điện mean in English?

xe điện (noun) means "an electric vehicle; an electric train".

How do you pronounce xe điện?

IPA: Hanoi [sɛ˧˧ ʔɗiən˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [sɛ˧˧ ʔɗiəŋ˨˩˨]. Tones: xe — level tone (ngang), điện — heavy tone (nặng).

What classifier is used with xe điện?

Common classifiers: chiếc — for example "một chiếc xe điện" (one an electric vehicle).

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.