hảo

See also: hão

Muong

Etymology

From Chinese (MC xawH, “to like”). Cognate with Vietnamese háo (to crave), háu.

Displaced the cognate of Vietnamese muốn, which hypothetically would be *buổn.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /haːw³/

Verb

hảo

  1. (Mường Bi) to want
    hảo ănto want to eat

References

  • Nguyễn Văn Khang, Bùi Chỉ, Hoàng Văn Hành (2002) Từ điển Mường - Việt (Muong - Vietnamese dictionary)[1], Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Văn hoá Dân tộc Hà Nội.

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from . This is the adjectival form, derived from (MC xawX, “good”). The verbal form, derived from (MC xawH, “to like”), is hiếu.

Pronunciation

Adjective

hảo

  1. (only in compounds, nowadays also humorous) good
    hảo ngọtsweet-toothed

Usage notes

  • This is a bound morpheme found in compounds.
  • On the Internet, it also occurs often as part of many spontaneous compounds, such as "hảo thanh niên", "hảo skill". This usage appears to originate from, be modelled after, or at least be influenced by, hảo hán (brave man), a word that occurs chiefly in Chinese fiction. These spontaneous compounds are meant to be humorous or ironic and might be comparable to the usage of English based (praiseworthy and admirable).

Derived terms

Anagrams