nhất
Vietnamese edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Sino-Vietnamese word from 一 (“one”).
The ‹nh-› is from ʔj-, which was perceived as the implosive *ʄ- then developed into ɲ- as implosives nasalized: ʔjit > *ʄit > ɲit. For a similar case of development of Middle Chinese ʔj-, compare nhân, from 因 (MC 'jin). See Ferlus (2009) for details.
Sino-Vietnamese shows fairly systemic contrast between characters belonging to Chongniu III and IV rime groups with certain initials: nhất (< *ʔj- < 一 (MC 'jit)) vs. ất (< *ʔ- < 乙 (MC 'it)), dân (< *j- < *mj- < 民 (MC mjin)) vs. mân (< *m- < 珉 (MC min)), tần (< *bj- < 嬪 (MC bjin)) vs. bần (< *b- < 貧 (MC bin)). The first character of each pair belongs to Chongniu IV group and shows clear palatalization in its Sino-Vietnamese reflexes, while the second belongs to Chongniu III and yields simplex initial.
Pronunciation edit
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ɲət̚˧˦]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ɲək̚˦˧˥]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [ɲək̚˦˥]
Audio (Hà Nội) (file)
Numeral edit
nhất
- (of a prize) first
- giải nhất ― first prize
Usage notes edit
- Unlike other cardinal numbers, the ordinal phrasal expression for một (“one”) is not *thứ một, but thứ nhất (“first”).
Adverb edit
nhất
- the most in...
- Synonym: hơn cả
- Mẹ thương con nhất nhà.
- Mom loves you most.
- (literally, “Mom loves child most in the family.”)
- Nó học giỏi nhất lớp.
- She's the best student in the class.
- (literally, “She studies best in the class.”)
- đẹp nhất thế giới ― the most beautiful in the world
- 2005, Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, "Biển người mênh mông" (in Cánh đồng bất tận), Trẻ publishing house
- Người ta buồn nhất, cô đơn nhất là khi ngủ dậy.
- One is saddest and loneliest when waking up.
- at the top of one's priority
- Nhất nước, nhì phân, tam cần, tứ giống.
- First comes water, second comes manure, third comes hard work, and fourth come cultivars.
- (in a competition, or a ranking system) in the first position
- về (thứ) nhất ― to finish first
Interjection edit
nhất
- (informal, before someone's name or kinship title) you are / he/she is so darn lucky
- Vợ đẹp con ngoan. Nhất chú đấy nhá!
- Beautiful wife, well-behaved children. You're a winner!