. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Symbol
vai
( international standards ) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Vai .
See also
English
Etymology 1
Noun
vai
( grammar ) Initialism of verb animate intransitive : an intransitive verb that agrees with an animate subject .
Coordinate terms
Etymology 2
Transliteration of Bengali ভাই ( bhai ) .
Noun
vai (plural vais ) ( Bangladesh , West Bengal , chiefly Benglish )
Alternative spelling of bhai .
Anagrams
A-IV , AIV , AVI , Avi , IVA , Iva , Via , avi , avi- , via , viâ
Anuta
vai
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Anuta: a Polynesian outlier in the Solomon Islands (1973)
Oral Traditions of Anuta: A Polynesian Outlier in the Solomon Islands (1998)
Dalmatian
Etymology
From Latin hodie . Compare Friulian vuê .
Adverb
vai
today
East Futuna
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Emae
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Fijian
Etymology
From Proto-Central Pacific *vai , from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih (compare Indonesian pari , Malay pari ), from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS .
Noun
vai
ray ( marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail )
Finnish
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai . Probably ultimately from the same root as vajaa , possibly by analogy with tai .
Pronunciation
Conjunction
vai
( coordinating, in question clauses ) or ( exclusive or; either what comes before or what comes after )
Onko se suuri vai pieni? Is it big or small?
Usage notes
While it is often said that tai is to be used in affirmative clauses and vai is to be used in question clauses, a more precise difference is that while both can be used in question clauses, tai is an inclusive or , while vai is an exclusive or . For instance, while Söitkö sinä leivän tai hedelmät? and Söitkö sinä leivän vai hedelmät? are both correct, the former asks in a yes or no question, whether you ate either bread or fruit or not, while the latter asks which you ate, the bread or the fruit.
Derived terms
See also
Adverb
vai ( colloquial )
( interrogative adverb ) is that so ?
Further reading
Anagrams
Futuna-Aniwa
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Galician
Etymology
From Latin vādit (See vādō, vādere .) Usurped expected ed or í , from īt, third person singular of eō, īre
Verb
vai
inflection of ir :
third-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
É a rapaza a que vai ao monte con ovellas e cabras It is the girl who goes to the mountain with sheep and goats
inflection of ir :
third-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
Further reading
Guaraní
Pronunciation
Adjective
vai
ugly , unsightly
bad , evil , unpleasant
Inflection
Ingrian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai . Cognate with Finnish vai and Estonian või .
Pronunciation
Conjunction
vai
or
1936 , L. G. Terehova, V. G. Erdeli, translated by Mihailov and P. I. Maksimov, Geografia: oppikirja iƶoroin alkușkoulun kolmatta klaassaa vart (ensimäine osa) , Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 6:Kummaas poolees oppilapsist ovat ikkunat - oikiaas vai kuras ? On which side of the students are the windows - on the right or on the left ?
1936 , D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (ensimäine osa) , Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 12 :Onko se niin vai ei oo? Is that so or isn't it?
Used to introduce polar questions , especially rhetorical ones.
1916 , Volmari Porkka, “1576. . III443b ”, in Väinö Salminen, V. Alava, editor, Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot . Länsi-Inkerin runot , volume III2, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura , lines 16-18 :Itse käin kyselömmää: // »Mitä vessät velvyeen, // Vai vessät sotivennooja?» Myself I started to ask him: // »What are you carving, my brother dear, // Are you carving a warship?»
1937 , D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (toin osa) , Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 86 :Vai siis siulle syyvvä, juuvva ei annettu?Then they didn't give you anything to eat, to drink?
1937 , N. A. Iljin, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (kolmas osa) , Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 46 :Hää mörnää: „Mitä lykit siä?Vai maistaa tahot pleettiä?“ He shouts: „Why are you pushing? Do you want to taste the whip, perchance ?“
Synonyms
References
V. I. Junus (1936 ) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka , Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 136
Ruben E. Nirvi (1971 ) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja , Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 630
Olga I. Konkova, Nikita A. Dyachkov (2014 ) Inkeroin Keel: Пособие по Ижорскому Языку , →ISBN , page 79
Italian
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈvaj/
Rhymes: -aj
Hyphenation: vài
Etymology 1
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
vai
inflection of andare :
second-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
vai
inflection of vaiare :
second-person singular present indicative
first / second / third-person singular present subjunctive
third-person plural imperative
Anagrams
Latvian
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Livonian vȯi or dialectal Estonian vai ; compare other Finnic languages (Finnish vai , Standard Estonian või ). First found occasionally in Latvian writings in the 17th century, initially as a conjunction, then as a particle, it became more frequent in the 18th century; but only in the 19th century did it really strike root in the language.[ 1] Likely unrelated to Sanskrit वा ( vā ) .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) :
Conjunction
vai
used to indicate a disjunction between two elements ; or ( in the either-or sense, not in the sense of a.k.a. , which is jeb ) .
atbildi: jā vai nē! ― answer: yes or no!
viņa nezināja, ko pirkt: rozes vai neļķes ― she didn't know what to buy: roses or carnations
used to suggest vagueness , uncertainty , or a veiled threat ; usually followed by ellipsis (...) ; or , or else ...
ja labi grib, to darbu var veikt parasts dežurants, vai brigadieris, vai (...) ― if (he) really wants, an ordinary man on duty can do this job, or a brigadier, or ... (= or someone like that)
vai tas kāds noziegums, kauns, vai ? — is this a crime, a shame, or what ?
jums tas jādara, vai ... ― you all have to do this, or else ...
used to introduce conditional subordinate clauses ; whether , if
nav zināms, vai to darījis viņš ― it is not known whether he did it
es nezinu, vai to spēšu ― I don't know if I will be able to
pasaki, vai es esmu nodevējs ― tell me if I am a traitor
See also
Particle
vai
interrogative particle , used in either-or questions
vai tu runā latviski? ― do you speak Latvian?
vai tu dzirdi? ― do you hear? are you listening?
Noun
vai m (invariable )
the word vai itself ; also, implicitly , a question
cits pēc cita nāca tik daudzi vai , ka viņa nevarēja ilgāk izturēt ― so many vai' s (= questions) came one after the other that she couldn't stand it any longer
Etymology 2
From Proto-Indo-European *way- ( “ oh!, ah!; woe!, alas! ” ) . Cognates include Lithuanian vái , vaĩ , Old High German wē , Old English wā , Latin vae , German weh , English woe .[ 1]
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : , IPA (key ) : , IPA (key ) : (depending on situational intonation)
Interjection
vai
used to express emotional responses: excitement , surprise , pain , fear , sorrow , irritation , etc.
vai , ko es daru! ― oh ! what am I doing!
vai , kāds jūs līks izskatāties! ― boy , look at you! what a sight!
vai , vai , Ilma, vai , tev tikai nauda prātā! ― oh come on , Ilma, you only think about money!
References
Livvi
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈʋɑi̯/
Hyphenation: va‧i
Conjunction
vai
or
2018 , Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 3rd edition, →ISBN , page 118 :Kuulet vai et kuule? Can you hear or not?
2018 , Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 3rd edition, →ISBN , page 118 :lähtet vai et lähte? Will you go or not?
if
2019 , Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 2rd edition, →ISBN , page 311 :Et vai tulle, suutun. If you don't come, i'll get angry.
Adverb
vai
only
2019 , Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 2rd edition, →ISBN , page 311 :Nenga tansie voijah vai harvat. Only a few can dance like this.
Synonyms
References
Tatjana Boiko (2019 ) Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 2nd edition, →ISBN , page 311
Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova (2018 ) Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect) ], 3rd edition, →ISBN , page 118
Ludian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai .
Conjunction
vai
or
Macanese
Etymology
From Portuguese vai , from Old Galician-Portuguese vai , and also the third-person singular present indicative inflection of ir . Sense 2 is a semantic loan from Cantonese 去 .
Verb
vai
to go
Êle nádi vai ― He will not go
Já vai sim falâ co iou ― He left without talking to me
( before a verb ) to go in order to do something
Iou vai olâ si têm I'll see if there is any (literally, “I go to see if there is ”)
Chomâ iou vai tambâ tacho? Nádi! Invite me to fill in for somebody who can't go? No way! (literally, “Call me to go repair pan? No way! ”)
Beto logo buscâ iou vai tifinâ Beto will find me to go have lunch
Usage notes
Sense 2 is especially common when Macanese write using Cantonese-influenced syntax.
Derived terms
References
Mangarevan
Etymology
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
Edward Tregear, A Dictionary of Mangareva (or Gambier Islands) (1899)
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Niuafo'ou
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
Niuean
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
Niue Language Dictionary (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1997, →ISBN )
North Efate
Etymology
From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
North Marquesan
Etymology
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Northern Sami
Etymology
Borrowed from Finnish vai .
Pronunciation
Conjunction
vai
or ( in questions, for mutually exclusive possibilities )
so that
Further reading
Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008 ), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages , Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland
Norwegian Bokmål
Verb
vai
imperative of vaie
Nuguria
Noun
vai
water
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Nukuoro
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
Vern Carroll, An outline of the structure of the language of Nukuoro (1965)
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Ontong Java
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
Penrhyn
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Pileni
Noun
vai
water
References
A Grammar of Vaeakau-Taumako (2011, →ISBN
Portuguese
Etymology
Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese vai , from vādit ( present indicative ) , Latin vāde ( imperative ) . Cognate with Galician vai and Spanish va .
Pronunciation
Verb
vai
inflection of ir :
third-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
Pukapukan
Etymology
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
Further reading
Rapa Nui
Etymology
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Rarotongan
Etymology
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Romanian
Etymology
Probably an expressive creation. Similar words are found in many other languages, especially Indo-European. Compare Latin vae , Albanian vaj , Italian guai , Sicilian vai , Spanish ay , Ancient Greek οὐαί ( ouaí ) , English woe .
Pronunciation
Interjection
vai
alas , woe
Derived terms
Samoan
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
crake
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Sicilian
Etymology 1
Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *wai ( “ expression of grief ” ) .[ 1] Alternatively from Ancient Greek οὐαί ( ouaí ) , from the verse in Revelation 8:13. Compare English woe , German Weh , Latin vae , Italian guai .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈva.i/
Hyphenation: và‧i
Noun
vai (only plural )
troubles , problems , hardship , misfortune
( interjection ) trouble , difficulty , mess , pickle , fix , woe , jam
Minchia di vai ! ― That's a fucking trouble !
Etymology 2
Derived from Latin vādō . More at Sicilian jiri .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈva.i/
Hyphenation: và‧i
Verb
vai
inflection of jiri :
second-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
References
^ vai in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line , Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
South Efate
Noun
vai
water
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
South Marquesan
Noun
vai
water
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Tahitian
Etymology 1
From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ . Mostly displaced by pape because of tapu by association with names of certain royalty.[ 1]
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
Synonym: pape
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
^ White, Ralph Gardner (1968 ) “Borrowing and Taboo in Eastern Polynesia”, in The Journal of the Polynesian Society , volume 77 , number 1, →ISSN , pages 64-5
Etymology 2
Compare Maori wai .
Pronoun
vai
who
Takuu
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
Tikopia
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
Raymond Firth, Mervyn McLean, Tikopia Songs: Poetic and Musical Art of a Polynesian People (1990)
Tokelauan
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai . Cognates include Hawaiian wai and Samoan vai .
Pronunciation
Noun
vai
water
vessel for water
medicine
References
R. Simona, editor (1986 ), Tokelau Dictionary , Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 417
Tongan
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Pronunciation
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
References
William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
Tuvaluan
Etymology
From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Polynesian *wai , from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ , from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Noun
vai
water ( clear liquid H₂O )
lake
Synonyms
References
An Introduction to Tuvaluan (1999, →ISBN
Uneapa
Etymology
From Proto-Oceanic *pai .
Pronunciation
Verb
vai
to weave
Further reading
Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia , Pacific Linguistics , series C-98 (1988)
Veps
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai .
Conjunction
vai
or
References
Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007 ) “или , либо ”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary ] , Petrozavodsk: Periodika
Vietnamese
( North Central Vietnam ) ban
Etymology
Attested as Middle Vietnamese ꞗĕai , ꞗai in Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651), a dictionary based chiefly on the Northern dialects.
Attested in Phật thuyết đại báo phụ mẫu ân trọng kinh (佛說大報父母恩重經) as 多埋 (MC ta meaj ) (modern SV : đa mai ).
Compare Proto-Katuic *ʔapaal ( “ shoulder ” ) (whence Pacoh apal ).
Some North Central dialects have the form ban with unlenited ‹b› (vs. standard form with lenited ‹v›) and ‹-n› reflex of earlier *-l .
Pronunciation
Noun
vai • (𣘾 , 𦠘 , 𦢳 )
( anatomy ) a shoulder
( television , film , theater ) a role ; a part
vai chính ― a main/lead role
vai phụ ― a supporting role
See also
Votic
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *vai .
Pronunciation
Conjunction
vai
or
Interjection
vai
oh , (so )... ( mainly to start interrogative clauses )
References
Hallap, V., Adler, E., Grünberg, S., Leppik, M. (2012 ) “vai ”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language ], 2nd edition, Tallinn