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ca
/kaː˧/
fish
Tôi thích ăn cá nướng.
I like to eat grilled fish.
general
A cold-blooded aquatic animal with gills, fins, and typically scales, used as food.
Anh ấy câu được một con cá to.
He caught a big fish.
Món cá kho là đặc sản của vùng này.
The braised fish dish is a specialty of this region.
Commonly used in Vietnamese cuisine and daily conversation.
general
Classifier for fish or similar seafood items.
Tôi mua hai con cá.
I bought two fish.
Mẹ nấu ba con cá.
Mom cooks three fish.
Used as a unit of measurement when counting fish.
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'cà'
'Cá' (fish) and 'cà' (eggplant) are often confused due to similar pronunciation. Remember: 'cá' has a hook (á) like a fish hook.
Gold Rule
Classifier usage
When counting fish, always use 'con' as the classifier (e.g., 'một con cá' = one fish).
Word Origin
From Proto-Vietic *kaː, ultimately from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kaː. Related to Muong *kaː and other Austroasiatic languages.
Usage Notes
'Cá' is one of the most common nouns in Vietnamese cuisine. It can refer to any type of fish, freshwater or saltwater. In southern Vietnam, 'cá' is often used in compound dishes like 'cá kho tộ' (braised fish in clay pot).
Word Breakdown
cá
fish
rootTừ Điển Việt Anh