cân tây

Thân thiện

Ông ấy mua hai cân tây thịt bò.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Kilo, Kilogram: A unit of mass in the metric system, equal to 1000 grams. The term "cân tây" (literally "Western pound") is a dated, less common Vietnamese term for the kilogram, distinguishing it from the traditional Vietnamese "cân" (about 604.5 grams).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Tôi cần mua một cân tây đường. (I need to buy one kilo of sugar.)
  • Trái dưa hấu này nặng khoảng ba cân tây. (This watermelon weighs about three kilograms.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "cân tây" is considered somewhat archaic or regional. In modern, standard Vietnamese, "cân" is overwhelmingly used to mean "kilogram" in everyday contexts, having absorbed the meaning of the metric unit. "Kilogram" or "kí lô" (kilo) are also common.
  • Anh ấy tăng hai cân sau kỳ nghỉ. (He gained two kilograms after the holiday.) [Using modern "cân"]
  • Một kilogram bằng một nghìn gram. (One kilogram equals one thousand grams.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cân (n): The modern, standard word for "kilogram" in Vietnam. It originally referred to a traditional unit of mass.
• Kilogram (n): The international term, often used in formal or scientific contexts.
• Kí lô / Kilo (n): A common colloquial shortening of "kilogram".
• Lạng (n): A traditional unit, equivalent to 100 grams (1/10 of a modern kilogram).

Synonyms

• Kilogram (n): Kilogram.
• Kilo (n): Kilo.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary meaning of "cân tây" is "kilogram". Its usage highlights a historical period when the metric system ("Western" measurement) was being adopted in Vietnam, contrasting with the traditional measurement system. Today, it is rarely used in official or common speech.

Học thuật

1. Kilo, Kiogramme