Mandarin

Romanization

cái (Zhuyin ㄘㄞˊ)

1. Pinyin transcription of 才, 纔
2. Pinyin transcription of 材
3. Pinyin transcription of 犲
4. Pinyin transcription of 裁
5. Pinyin transcription of 財, 财
6. Pinyin transcription of 溨
7. Pinyin transcription of 犲

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kaːj˧ˀ˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kaːj˩ˀ˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [kaːj˦ˀ˥]

Etymology 1

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 個 (“one thing; classifier”; SV: cá)

Classifier

cái

1. indicates inanimate noun

Synonyms

• chiếc

Antonyms

• con

Etymology 2

From Proto-Vietic *-keːʔ ‎(“woman; female”); compare gái.

Alternative forms

• cấy

Adjective

cái

1. (of species other than humans and birds) female

Synonyms

• gái (human)
• nữ
• mái (bird)

Derived terms

• giống cái

See also

• con gái
• cô gái
• đàn bà
• phụ nữ

Prefix

cái

1. (Northern Vietnam) title affix to young girls' names, similar to the Japanese suffix -chan

   Cái Bống là cái bống bang

   Khéo sảy khéo sàng cho mẹ nấu cơm

   Mẹ Bống đi chợ đường trơn

   Bống ra gánh đỡ chạy cơn mưa ròng.

   Oh, Little, Little Goby

   Be careful filterin' the rice, so that Mommy can cook it.

   Goby's Mommy has returned from the market on a slippy road

   Goby goes help her carry the pole, to [quickly] get away from the heavy rain.

Synonyms

• con
• nhỏ