cua

/kwaː/

noun★Beginner

formal

door

Mở cửa để vào.

Open the door to enter.

informal

shell (of a mollusk or crustacean)

Cua biển rất ngon.

Seafood shells are very delicious.

Collocations

cửa ra vàoentrance and exitcửa sổwindow

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

cửa sổphrase

window

cửa hàngphrase

store

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

When 'cua' is used in the context of buildings or rooms, it means 'door'. When used with seafood, it refers to the 'shell'.

⚡Gold Rule

Homonym Clarity

Always use context to distinguish between 'door' and 'shell' meanings of 'cua'.

📖Word Origin

From Proto-Vietic *kɔː (door) and Proto-Mon-Khmer *kɔɔ (shell). The word has two distinct meanings in modern Vietnamese, one for 'door' and another for 'shell'.

📝Usage Notes

The word 'cua' can refer to both a physical door or the shell of a mollusk or crustacean. Context usually clarifies the intended meaning.

Word Breakdown

cua

door or shell

root

Từ Điển Việt Anh