anh trai
Vietnamese
Etymology
anh (“elder brother”) + trai (“male”).
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔajŋ̟˧˧ t͡ɕaːj˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔɛɲ˧˧ ʈaːj˧˧]
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [ʔan˧˧ ʈaːj˧˧]
Audio (Saigon): (file)
Noun
- (chiefly literary) elder brother
- Synonym: anh
Usage notes
- Unlike em (“younger sibling”) which is gender neutral, anh and chị (“elder sister”) are gender-specific. This expression is therefore redundant by nature, but it can be used for acoustic or literary eloquence because it is disyllabic.
Pronoun
Interjection
- (colloquial, friendly, not intimate, speakers are strangers) young man
- Đường này đi thẳng là tới Thủ Đức hả anh trai?
- Am I correct in assuming that this road leads to Thủ Đức, young man?
Usage notes
- The "young man" sense in theory can be used by speakers of any age, but in real life, most often used by people who is older than the "young man".