tủ

See also: Appendix:Variations of "tu"

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tu˧˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʊw˧˨]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tʊw˨˩˦]

Etymology 1

Perhaps non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 廚 (SV: trù). Compare Khmer ទូ (tuu), Lao ຕູ້ (tū), Thai ตู้ (dtûu).

Noun

(classifier cái) tủ • (䈹, 匬, 𣗿, 󰊤)

1. cabinet; cupboard; wardrobe; chest; safe
2. (figurative, colloquial) something valuable and useful that is kept by people to themselves, and only shown or used in times of need to win over others; stock-in-trade
3. (figurative) part of a subject deemed to be high-yield in exams and chosen as the focus of one's study/exam preparation

Derived terms

• trúng tủ
• tủ áo
• tủ búp phê
• tủ chè
• tủ chữa cháy
• tủ đá
• tủ đè
• tủ đứng
• tủ đựng chén
• tủ lạnh
• tủ lệch
• tủ li
• tủ ly
• tủ sách
• tủ sắt
• tủ tường

Etymology 2

Verb

tủ

1. (Central Vietnam) to cover (with); to overlay (with)

   Synonym: phủ