cù lao
[ku˨˩ laːw˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(noun) river island, ait
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(noun) small island, islet
Examples
Ngoài cửa có cái hồ Hoàn-gươm rộng lớn; giữa hồ lại có cái cù-lao nho-nhỏ có cất cái miễu Ngọc-sơn, cây cối im-rợp huyền vũ coi tươi-tốt. Nhà thiên hạ, phố-xá ở bao lấy miệng hồ.Just outside the temple's gate is the large Lake Hoàn-gươm; in the middle of the lake there is an islet on which built a small temple called Ngọc-sơn, where vegetation grows lush under the eyes of the Black Tortoise. Houses and streets surround the lake.
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sense 3
Meaning · English
(noun) labor, toil, drudgery
Examples
Cù lao đội đức cao dày,Uphold (your parents') lofty, weighty, virtuous toils!
Be steadfastly filial and reverent (towards them) night and day!
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common questions
What does “cù lao” mean?
(noun) river island, ait
Is “cù lao” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.