khôn

See also: khon and khön

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [xon˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kʰoŋ˧˧] ~ [xoŋ˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [kʰoŋ˧˧] ~ [xoŋ˧˧]

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• (North Central Vietnam) khun

Adjective

khôn

1. wise, smart
2. clever; street-smart
3. sapient

Derived terms

• khôn hồn (“wise, sensible”)
• khôn khéo (“subtle; clever”)
• khôn lỏi (“slim”)
• khôn lớn (“mature to adulthood”)
• khôn ngoan (“wise”)
• tinh khôn (“cuteness”)
• trí khôn (“intellect”)

 

Etymology 2

Adverb

khôn

1. (literary, before verb) impossibly

   nỗi buồn/giận khôn nguôi ― everlasting sadness/anger (literally, “unfadable sadness/anger”)

   • Late 19th century, Nguyễn Khuyến, “Bạn Đến Chơi Nhà (My Friend's Come Visiting My Home)”

     Ao sâu nước cả, khôn chài cá;
     Vườn rộng rào thưa, khó đuổi gà.

     The pond is so deep and large, it's impossible to catch fish;
     The garden is so broad, the hedges so sparse, it's hard to chase chicken.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• khôn cùng
• khôn lường
• khôn nguôi
• khôn xiết

 

Etymology 3

Sino-Vietnamese word from 坤.

Noun

khôn

1. trigram 8
2. hexagram 2 (䷁)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• càn khôn