mái

mái

1. water

• [1]

mái

1. maguey, century plant.

mái

1. tongue

From Proto-Bantu *màjíjɪ̀.

mái class 6

1. water

• máimái (“wet”)

• John Ellington, Handbook of Kinshasa Lingala (1992), page 74
• James E. Redden, Lingala: basic course (1963), page 167

• mai — nonstandard

mái (mai², Zhuyin ㄇㄞˊ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 埆
2. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 狷
3. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 薶
4. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 貊
5. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 霾
6. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 埋

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [maːj˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [maːj˨˩˦]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [maːj˦˥]

• Audio (Hà Nội):

  (file)

From Proto-Vietic *meːʔ, from Proto-Austroasiatic *meʔ (“mother”). Doublet of mẹ.

mái • (買, 㜥, 𠃅, 𡣧)

1. (of a bird) female

   Antonym: trống

   gà mái ― a hen

2. (of an animal with cá (“fish”) in its name, including cetaceans) female

   Antonym: trống

   cá heo mái/cái ― a female dolphin

• Less common than cái when used for "fish", although it is not rare nor uncommon.

• sống mái

• trống; cái

From Proto-Vietic *ɓaːlʔ.

mái • (買, 𠃅, 𬄹)

1. roof
2. (by extension) bangs; fringe

   mái ngố ― blunt bangs

• Not to be confused with mai (“sidehair”).

mái • (買, 𠃅)

1. indicates all of someone's headhair

   mái tóc bóng mượt ― shiny and silky hair