giáo

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [zaːw˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [jaːw˨˩˦]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [jaːw˦˥]

(classifier cây, ngọn) giáo • (𨬊, 槊)

1. lance, spear

Sino-Vietnamese word from 教 (“to teach; teachings; religion”).

The suffix sense seems to be a rather recent learned borrowing from Chinese (and other Sino-Xenic languages), with words formed with this suffix being more formal than their counterparts with đạo.

giáo

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 教

   nhà giáo ― an educator

• dạy

giáo

1. religion