quái

See also: quai and quài

Vietnamese

Etymology

    Sino-Vietnamese word from .

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    (classifier con) quái

    1. (chiefly video games slang) freak; monster
      Synonym: quái vật

    Adjective

    quái

    1. (informal) strange; odd; weird; bizarre, freakish
      Cái quái gì vậy?
      The hell is that?
      Sao có chuyện quái thế?
      Why is there such a freakish story?
    2. mischievous, sly
      nghịch quáito play mischievously, to get into mischief

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Adverb

    quái

    1. (emphatic) (not) at all
      Cứ bô bô cái mỏchẳng hiểu quái gì.
      [Someone] keeps running their trap but doesn't understand anything at all.
      Làm quái gì việc vặt ấy.
      Such a trifling thing does not matter at all.
      Quái gì phải lo lắng?
      What in the world do you have to worry about?

    Interjection

    quái

    1. used to express surprise
      Quái! Nhớ để ở đây mà!
      That's weird! I could've sworn I put it here!
      Quái, hôm qua còn khỏe thế mà hôm nay đã chết!
      How odd, he was so healthy yesterday and to day he is dead!