hắn

Vietnamese

Etymology

From Proto-Vietic *hanʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *(ʔ)anʔ ~ *ʔən; cognate with Car Nicobarese an (“he, she, it”), Pacoh ân (“relative pronoun”). The /h/ appeared in the proto-Vietic stage, which is also seen in hết (“to finish”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [han˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [haŋ˦˧˥]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [haŋ˦˥]

Pronoun

hắn • (罕, 釁, 𪝳)

1. (archaic) he/him; she/her
2. (derogatory) he/him, that son of a gun
3. (informal, endearing) he/him, my boyfriend
4. (informal, endearing) he/him, your boyfriend
5. (chiefly Central Vietnam, familiar or informal) Synonym of nó (“he/him; she/her”)

   Đi kêu hắn về cho tau!

   Go get him back here!

   Tụi hắn cứ đánh chắc hoài!

   Those idiots keep fighting again and again!

See also

• y
• nhỏ