kình nghê

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 鯨鯢, composed of 鯨 (“male whale”) and 鯢 (“female whale”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kïŋ˨˩ ŋe˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kɨn˦˩ ŋej˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [kɨn˨˩ ŋej˧˧]

Noun

kình nghê • (鯨猊, 鯨鯢)

1. (literary, obsolete) male whale(s) and female whale(s), bull whale(s) and cow whale(s)
   • c. late 19th century, Anonymous, Trinh Thử truyện (貞鼠傳 "The Chaste Mouse"), 8a

     鯨猊盃趣鯨猊
     鯜𩵽時吏盃皮鯜𩵽

     Kình nghê vui thú kình nghê;
     Tép tôm thì lại vui bề tép tôm.

     The bull whales and cow whales have their own funs;
     The shrimps and prawns also have their own funs.

   • Quốc phong thi tập hợp thái (國風詩集合採 "Airs of the State - Collected"), 44a

     𩵽鯜淎蹎𬌥𡮥𡮥
     亇鯨鯢𪤄𣷭𢫝制

     Tôm tép vũng chân trâu bé bé.
     Cá kình nghê bãi bể rong chơi.

     The shrimps and prawms [are in] the little puddles [made by] buffaloes' hooves.
     The bull whales and cow whales roam playfully offshore.