mày
See also: Appendix:Variations of "may"
Vietnamese
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 眉 (“eyebrows”, SV: mi); compare mi (“eyelashes”).
Noun
Usage notes
- Functions as a "singular" noun and a general noun, and currently rarely or cannot be accompanied by cặp (“pair”) by itself.
- có vết thẹo nhỏ dưới mày ― having a small scar beneath (one of) the eyebrows
Derived terms
See also
Etymology 2
From Proto-Vietic *miː, from Proto-Austroasiatic *miːʔ. Cognate with Koho mi (“you”), Pacoh may (“you”), Khasi me (“you”), Mang miː², Central Nicobarese me (“you”).
Alternative forms
Pronoun
- (Northern Vietnam, Southern Vietnam, in the singular, impolite, familiar, disrespectful or hostile) you
Usage notes
- The corresponding first-person pronoun is tao.
- This form of address is considered disrespectful when speaking to an older person.
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Verb
mày • (眉)
Adjective
mày • (眉)
- (by extension, obsolete) adopted or adoptive
- Synonym: nuôi
- (Can we date this quote?), Quan Âm chính văn tân truyện (觀音正文新傳):
- 昆眉麻種吒餒
形容意思恪芇生生- Con mày mà giống cha nuôi,
Hình dong, ý tứ khác nào sinh sinh. - Adopted, yet he looks just like his foster father,
Be it in look or mind, it is like he is of the same blood.
- Con mày mà giống cha nuôi,
Derived terms
- ăn mày
- mày mò