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guai. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
guai, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
guai in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
guai you have here. The definition of the word
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Catalan
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹 (wai, “woe!”), from Proto-Germanic *wai. Compare Latin vae, which likewise descends from Proto-Indo-European *wai.
Interjection
guai!
- woe!
- Synonym: ai
Etymology 2
Compare Spanish guay.
Adjective
guai m or f (masculine and feminine plural guais)
- (slang) cool, terrific
- Synonyms: collonut, fantàstic, súper
Further reading
- “guai” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Italian
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɡwaj/
- Rhymes: -aj
- Hyphenation: guài
Interjection
guai
- woe!
c. 1226, Francis of Assisi, Cantico delle creature [Canticle of the Creatures], Biblioteca del Sacro Convento di San Francesco, page 2:Guai acquelli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali. beati quelli ke trovarane le tue santissime voluntati- Woe to those who die in mortal sin. Blessed be those who find themselves in your most holy will
1321, Dante Alighieri, “Canto Ⅲ [Canto 3]”, in La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, page 42, lines 84–87:[…] Guai a voi, anime prave!
Non isperate mai veder lo cielo:
i' vegno per menarvi a l'altra riva
ne le tenebre etterne, in caldo e 'n gelo.- Woe to you, o depraved souls! Do not hope to ever see heaven: I come to lead you to the other bank, to the eternal darkness, in heat and in frost.
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɡwa.i/
- Rhymes: -ai
- Hyphenation: guà‧i
Noun
guai m pl
- plural of guaio (“trouble”)
Further reading
- guai in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Anagrams
Iu Mien
Adjective
guai
- clever, smart, intelligent
Japanese
Romanization
guai
- Rōmaji transcription of ぐあい
Mandarin
Romanization
guai
- Nonstandard spelling of guāi.
- Nonstandard spelling of guǎi.
- Nonstandard spelling of guài.
Usage notes
- Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.
Portuguese
Etymology
From Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹 (wai, “woe”), from Proto-Germanic *wai, both from Proto-Indo-European *wai.
Pronunciation
Interjection
guai
- (obsolete) woe! (expresses grief)
- Synonym: ai
Further reading