càng

See also: cang, cáng, câng, cāng, cảng, cẳng, and cǎng

Mandarin

Alternative forms

• cang — nonstandard
• càŋ — very rare shorthand

Romanization

càng (cang⁴, Zhuyin ㄘㄤˋ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 賶

Nùng

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

càng

1. (intransitive) to speak

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kaːŋ˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kaːŋ˦˩]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [kaːŋ˨˩]

Etymology 1

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 更 (SV: cánh).

Adverb

càng • (彊, 强, 強)

1. With a comparative or verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives.

   Bản nhạc này càng nghe càng thấy hay.

   The song sounds better the more you listen to it.

   khó khăn càng nhiều, quyết tâm càng cao

   to be more determined the harder it gets

2. all the more, all the less

   Có gió, lửa càng bốc to.

   With wind, fire rages all the more.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• càng đông càng vui
• gừng càng già càng cay

 

Etymology 2

From Proto-Vietic *gaːŋ (“crab pincers”).

Noun

càng • (强, 𫋙, 強, 乾, 窮)

1. nipper, pincer
2. large, strong hind leg of a locust, grasshopper, or cricket; jumping leg
3. shaft (one of the handles of a tool, or one of the poles between which an animal is harnessed to a vehicle)

   càng xe bò

   oxcart shaft

   càng pháo

   limber

   tay càng của kìm cộng lực

   bolt cutter handles

4. (slang) wing mirror (of a motorcycle)

References

• "càng" in Hồ Ngọc Đức, Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project (details)
• Lê Sơn Thanh, "Nom-Viet.dat", WinVNKey (details)