nhau

See also: nháu and nhàu

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ɲaw˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ɲaw˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ɲa(ː)w˧˧]

Etymology 1

Attested in Phật thuyết đại báo phụ mẫu ân trọng kinh (佛說大報父母恩重經) as 𬼀, the simplified form of 饒 (MC nyew) (modern SV: nhiêu). Attested as nhau, dau (“each other”), in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).

Possibly arose from etymology 2 and replaced chắc as the reciprocal marker in the non-North Central dialects, firmly established already in the Northern Old Vietnamese of Phật thuyết.

Adverb

nhau • (饒, 僥, 𠑬, 𬼀)

1. each other, mutually, reciprocally, one another

   Synonym: chắc

   yêu nhau ― to love each other

   cùng nhau ― with each other; together

2. together

Derived terms

• bên nhau

Etymology 2

From Proto-Vietic *ʄaw (“placenta”).

Alternative forms

• rau

Noun

nhau • (𦣗, 膮, 澆)

1. placenta, afterbirth

Derived terms

• chôn nhau cắt rốn
• nhau thai

Welsh

Alternative forms

• glanhau (standard)
• llnau (North Wales, colloquial)
• cnau, clau (South Wales, colloquial)

Etymology

Clipping of glanhau.

Verb

nhau (first-person singular present nheuaf, not mutable)

1. (North Wales, colloquial) to clean