ngãi

• (originally Northern Vietnam, North Central Vietnam, now widespread) nghĩa

Sino-Vietnamese word from 義 (“righteousness”).

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

ngãi

1. (South Central Vietnam, Southern Vietnam, literary, obsolete) righteousness, faithfulness
   • 19th century, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Tale of Lục Vân Tiên, line 1212

     󰒂它結󰒂情渚訴情

     Ngãi đà kết ngãi, tình chưa tỏ tình

     Our bond of rectitude is just freshly bound; our [mutual] affection is not even manifested yet.

• Ngãi is now almost only ever seen in place names, being completely replaced by the more common nghĩa in common vocabulary. Compare the doublet Yên Nghĩa vs. An Ngãi.

• giãn