On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 4

Vocabulary

Tôi

First person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'

chưa

Negation indicating something has not yet happened

hề

Emphatic particle meaning 'ever' or 'at all'

thấy

To see or perceive something visually

con

Classifier for animals; also means child

ngựa

A horse, large domesticated animal used for riding

đó

Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'there'

và

Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or phrases

tôi

First person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'

bao

Quantifier meaning 'how much' or 'ever' in phrases

giờ

Hour or time; used in 'bao giờ' meaning 'ever'

nghe

To listen or hear something

nói

To speak or say something

về

Preposition meaning 'about' or 'regarding' something

nó

Third person pronoun meaning 'it' or 'he/she'

trước

Before or in front of something in time or space

đây

Demonstrative meaning 'here' or 'this place'

trả

To return or repay something to someone

lời

Word or reply; 'trả lời' means to answer

Quan

Official or mandarin; a government or court officer

thái

High-ranking prefix used in official titles

giám

Supervisor or overseer, used in official titles

trưởng

Chief or head of a group or department

quan

Official or mandarin in a royal court setting

thú

Wild animal; also interest or hobby in other contexts

săn

To hunt animals in the wild

bắn

To shoot with a weapon or projectile

xác

To confirm or verify; also means corpse in other contexts

quyết

To decide firmly or assert something definitively

rằng

Conjunction meaning 'that', introducing a reported statement

đã

Past tense marker indicating a completed action

đánh

To hit or strike; used in compound verb 'đánh cắp'

cắp

To steal or pilfer; 'đánh cắp' means to steal

cả

All or both; includes everything mentioned

của

Possessive particle meaning 'of' or 'belonging to'

Nhà

House or home; 'Nhà Vua' means the King

Vua

King or monarch, ruler of a kingdom

lẫn

Both...and; used to include multiple items together

chó

A dog, common domesticated animal

Hoàng

Royal or imperial prefix used in formal titles

Hậu

Queen consort; 'Hoàng Hậu' means the Queen

vì

Because or for the reason that something happened

vậy

So or therefore; used to draw a conclusion

họ

Third person plural pronoun meaning 'they' or 'them'

giải

To escort or bring someone; to release or solve

ông

He, him, or mister; respectful term for older male

ta

Pronoun meaning 'he' or 'we' depending on context

ra

Directional particle meaning outward or to appear

Tòa

Court or tribunal building where judgments are made

Án

Case or sentence; used in legal contexts

Tối

Supreme or highest; also means dark in other contexts

Cao

High or tall; 'Tối Cao' means supreme

nơi

Place or location where something occurs

lập

To establish or set up; 'lập tức' means immediately

tức

Immediately or at once; used in 'lập tức'

kết

To conclude or connect; 'kết án' means to convict

án

Verdict or sentence in a legal case

phải

Must or to have to do something obligatorily

chịu

To endure or bear a punishment or difficulty

hình

Punishment or form; 'hình phạt' means penalty

phạt

To punish or penalize someone for wrongdoing

roi

Whip or cane used as a form of punishment

bị

Passive marker indicating suffering an action

đày

To exile or banish someone from their homeland

biệt

Separate or apart; 'biệt xứ' means exile from homeland

xứ

Land or country; region or territory

suốt

Throughout or all along a period of time

đời

Life or lifetime; 'suốt đời' means for life

đến

To arrive at or go to a place

Nhưng

Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast

bản

Verdict or document; 'bản án' means the sentence

vừa

Just or simultaneously; indicates a recent action

mới

New or just; used with 'vừa' to mean just finished

tuyên

To declare or announce officially

xong

Finished or done; indicates completion of an action

thì

Then; conditional or temporal connector in sentences

mất

To lose or disappear; used here meaning the horse was found

được

To obtain or succeed; passive marker of positive outcome

tìm

To search for or look for something or someone

Vì

Because or since, giving a reason or cause

các

Plural marker for nouns referring to multiple things

tòa

Court or tribunal; 'các tòa' means the courts

buộc

To be forced or obliged to do something

miễn

To exempt or excuse; 'miễn cưỡng' means reluctantly

cưỡng

Reluctant or forced; used in 'miễn cưỡng'

xem

To look at or consider; to review or examine

xét

To examine or investigate; 'xem xét' means to review

lại

Again or back; indicates repetition or reconsideration

phán

To judge or pronounce a verdict officially

mình

Oneself or reflexive pronoun; also means 'I' informally

nhưng

Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast

bốn

The number four

trăm

Hundred; 'bốn trăm' means four hundred

lượng

Unit of weight; quantity or measure of gold

vàng

Gold; precious yellow metal used as currency

những

Plural marker indicating multiple items or people

gì

What; used in questions or relative clauses

Việc

Task or matter; thing to be done or dealt with

đầu

Head or first; 'đầu tiên' means first of all

tiên

First or fairy; 'đầu tiên' means first

là

To be; linking verb connecting subject and predicate

nộp

To submit or pay a fee or fine to authorities

sau

After or behind; later in time or sequence

phép

Permission or right; 'được phép' means to be allowed

trình

To present or report formally to someone

bày

To display or lay out; 'trình bày' means to present

biện

To argue or defend; 'biện hộ' means to defend legally

hộ

To help or defend; 'biện hộ' means legal defense

làm

To do or make something; a general action verb

như

Like or as; used for comparison between things

bằng

By means of or equal to; comparing or using something

lẽ

Reason or logic; 'lẽ phải' means righteousness

Những

Plural marker indicating multiple items or people

sao

Star or why; used in rhetorical or poetic expressions

công

Public or merit; 'công lý' means justice

lý

Reason or logic; 'công lý' means justice

vực

Abyss or deep gorge; profound depth

sâu

Deep or profound in depth or meaning

tri

Knowledge or wisdom; used in literary expressions

thức

Knowledge or awareness; 'tri thức' means knowledge

gương

Mirror; something that reflects truth or example

soi

To illuminate or reflect; 'gương soi' means a mirror

sự

Abstract noun marker; indicates a concept or matter

thật

Truth or real; 'sự thật' means the truth

với

With or along with; preposition linking two parties

sức

Strength or force; physical or figurative power

nặng

Heavy in weight or serious in nature

chì

Lead metal; heavy and dense metallic element

cứng

Hard or rigid; stiff in texture or character

rắn

Hard or solid; also means snake in other contexts

sắt

Iron metal; strong and hard material

sánh

To compare or match; 'sánh ngang' means to be equal

ngang

Equal or horizontal; 'sánh ngang' means comparable to

kim

Metal or needle; 'kim cương' means diamond

cương

Diamond; 'kim cương' means diamond gemstone

trong

Clear or inside; 'trong sáng' means clear and bright

sáng

Bright or clear; shining with light or clarity

chẳng

Negation meaning 'not at all' or 'not even'

kém

Inferior or less; lacking compared to something else

phần

Part or portion; 'phần nào' means somewhat

thân

Close or intimate; body or self in various contexts

thiết

Essential or dear; 'thân thiết' means close or dear

thưa

Respectful address meaning 'dear' or 'honorable'

chuyện

Story or matter; topic of conversation or discussion

hội

Association or assembly; 'hội đồng' means council

đồng

Together or copper; 'hội đồng' means council or board

tôn

To respect or honor; 'tôn kính' means to revere

kính

To respect or venerate; also means glasses or mirror

quý

Precious or respected; 'quý vị' means distinguished persons

vị

Position or person; 'quý vị' is a respectful address

xin

To request politely or please; humble asking

thề

To swear an oath or vow solemnly

nhìn

To look at or gaze upon something

đáng

Worthy or deserving of something; suitable

cũng

Also or too; indicates inclusion or similarity

từng

Each or ever; indicates past experience or one by one

trông

To look at or appear; to watch over someone

thiêng

Sacred or spiritual; holy in a religious sense

liêng

Sacred; 'thiêng liêng' means sacred or divine

bất

Not or un-; negative prefix in formal vocabulary

khả

Possible or able; 'bất khả' means impossible or inviolable

xâm

To invade or encroach upon something

phạm

To violate or transgress; 'xâm phạm' means to infringe

Đây

Here or this; demonstrative pointing to nearby thing

xảy

To occur or happen; 'xảy ra' means to take place

đang

Progressive marker indicating an ongoing action

đi

To go or walk; basic verb of movement

dạo

To stroll or wander leisurely in a place

phía

Direction or side; indicates the direction of something

khu

Area or zone; a defined region or district

rừng

Forest or jungle; wooded area with many trees

nhỏ

Small or little in size or degree

mà

But or while; contrastive or relative conjunction

có

To have or there is; existential or possessive verb

vinh

Glory or honor; 'vinh dự' means honor or privilege

dự

To participate or attend; 'vinh dự' means honor

gặp

To meet or encounter someone or something

lừng

Famous or renowned; 'lừng lẫy' means illustrious

lẫy

Renowned or celebrated; 'lừng lẫy' means famous

nhất

Most or number one; superlative marker in Vietnamese