bồi

See also: Appendix:Variations of "boi"

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓoj˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓoj˦˩]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʔɓoj˨˩]

Etymology 1

Sino-Vietnamese word from 培 (“to bank up; foster; bury”).

Verb

bồi

1. to reinforce; to strengthen (especially by pasting on additional layers)
2. to accrete; to accumulate (especially soil)

Derived terms

• bãi bồi (mudflats)
• bồi bổ (to nourish; strengthen)
• bồi dưỡng (to foster)
• bồi đắp (to deposit)
• bồi tụ (to accrete)
• giấy bồi (pasteboard; cardboard)

 

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 賠 (“to compensate”).

Verb

bồi

1. (only in compounds) to compensate; to reimburse

Derived terms

• bồi hoàn (to refund)
• bồi thường (to compensate)

 

Etymology 3

Probably from French boy (“male servant”), from English boy (“male servant”).

Noun

bồi

1. waiter
2. (card games) jack

Derived terms

• bồi bàn (server)
• bồi bếp (kitchen servant)
• cao bồi (cowboy)

 

See also

Playing cards in Vietnamese · bài tây (layout · text)
át, xì	heo, hai	ba	bốn	năm	sáu	bảy
tám	chín	mười	bồi	đầm	già	phăng teo