xiêm
adjectivenoun Sino-Vietnamese
Hanoi [siəm˧˧]Huế [siəm˧˧]Saigon [sim˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
xiêm means Siamese.
Chinese characters: 襜
Meanings of xiêm in English
Adjective
- Siamese
Noun
- archaic skirt; dress
Words with xiêm
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, xiêm could be written as 袩. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
From a neighbouring language, probably Khmer សៀម (siəm) or directly Thai เสียม (sǐiam). The regular reading of 暹 (MC sjem) is Tiêm, which is indeed attested, most commonly in the obsolete Tiêm La.
Frequently asked questions
What does xiêm mean in English?
xiêm (adjective) means "Siamese".
How do you pronounce xiêm?
IPA: Hanoi [siəm˧˧]; Saigon [sim˧˧]. Tones: xiêm — level tone (ngang).
Is xiêm a Sino-Vietnamese word?
Yes. xiêm is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 襜.