Vietnamese edit

Pronunciation edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Vietic *t-kɔːj (horn). Cognate with Thavung təkɔːj¹ ("cow and buffalo horn"), Proto-Katuic *tŋkɔɔj (whence Pacoh tancoi (horn, antler)), Khmer កុយ (koy, rhinoceros horn). The original meaning was probably "horn of a herbivore", while Proto-Vietic *k-rəŋ (> sừng) was just "horn" in general.

The Viet-Muong languages no longer retain the meaning "horn of a herbivore" preserved in the other Vietic languages (like Thavung), Katuic and Khmer, but only "instrumental horn" (with the same semantic development as in English).

Noun edit

(classifier cái) còi (𩲡, 𧥇)

  1. a whistle (device used to make a whistling sound)
  2. a horn (loud alarm, especially on a motor vehicle)
  3. a siren (device for making a sound alarm)

Etymology 2 edit

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

Adjective edit

còi (, 𩲡)

  1. (colloquial) skinny; bony
    Synonyms: gầy, ốm, ròm, tóm
Derived terms edit
Derived terms