भई
See also: भाई
Hindi
Etymology
McGregor suggests Sanskrit भगिन् (bhagin, “good, prosperous”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bʱəiː/
Noun
भई • (bhaī) m, f
- friend, pal
- भई, थोड़ा जल्दी कर। ― bhaī, thoṛā jaldī kara. ― Hurry up pal.
Usage notes
Calling someone भई does not necessarily mean that they are your friend, and can be seen as patronizing in some contexts. It is also used as a general-purpose interjection meaning "hey!".
References
- McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “भई”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press