cấm chỉ

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 禁止 (“to prohibit”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kəm˧˦ t͡ɕi˧˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kəm˦˧˥ t͡ɕɪj˧˨]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [kəm˦˥ cɪj˨˩˦]

Verb

cấm chỉ

1. (formal, uncommon) to strictly prohibit; to ban; to forbid

Usage notes

• This word has a stronger connotation than its Chinese and Sino-Xenic equivalents and is also not commonly used, to the extent that some native speakers might not understand its meaning upon hearing. In the majority of cases, just cấm is sufficient, even on traffic or warning signs. For emphasis, nghiêm cấm would be preferred.