mày

See also: Appendix:Variations of "may"

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [maj˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [maj˦˩]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ma(ː)j˨˩]

Etymology 1

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 眉 (“eyebrows”, SV: mi); compare mi (“eyelashes”).

Noun

mày • (眉, 𣭒, 𣮮)

1. eyebrows

   Synonym: lông mày

Usage notes

• Functions as a "singular" noun and a general noun, and currently rarely or cannot be accompanied by cặp (“pair”) by itself.

  có vết thẹo nhỏ dưới mày ― having a small scar beneath (one of) the eyebrows

Derived terms

• chân mày
• mặt mày

See also

• mi

Etymology 2

From Proto-Vietic *miː, from Proto-Austroasiatic *miːʔ. Cognate with Koho mi (“you”), Pacoh may (“you”), Khasi me (“you”), Mang miː², Central Nicobarese me (“you”).

Alternative forms

• (Central Vietnam) mi
• (Nẫu) mầy
• (abbreviation) m

Pronoun

mày • (眉, 迈, 𱚧, 𠋥, 𡮠)

1. (Northern Vietnam, Southern Vietnam, in the singular, impolite, familiar, disrespectful or hostile) you

Usage notes

• The corresponding first-person pronoun is tao.
• This form of address is considered disrespectful when speaking to an older person.

Derived terms

• chú mày
• mày hả mạy
• mày tao chi tớ

Etymology 3

Verb

mày • (眉)

1. (no longer used in isolation) to gather or to pick up bits and pieces

Adjective

mày • (眉)

1. (by extension, obsolete) adopted or adoptive

   Synonym: nuôi

   (Can we date this quote?), Quan Âm chính văn tân truyện (觀音正文新傳):

   昆眉麻種吒餒
   形容意思恪芇生生

   Con mày mà giống cha nuôi,
   Hình dong, ý tứ khác nào sinh sinh.

   Adopted, yet he looks just like his foster father
   Be it in look or mind, it is like he is of the same blood.

Derived terms

• ăn mày
• mày mò