Cánh

Cánh is a Vietnamese noun meaning wing. The primary sense designates the wing of birds, bats, insects, and other animals. The term also covers wing-like parts on objects, such as the blade of a fan or turbine (cánh quạt) or the moving blade of a propeller, and it can refer to a side or section of a larger structure as in architectural or organizational wings (cánh trái, cánh phải).

In everyday language, cánh is used in a number of fixed phrases. Examples include cánh tay (arm) and cánh cửa (door leaf). Compound terms extend the sense to mechanical features: cánh buồm (sail), cánh quạt (fan blade), and cánh máy bay (airplane wing). The phrase hai cánh is used to indicate two wings, leaves, or leaves of a door, depending on context. The metaphorical use covers branches or divisions of organizations, for example a military wing or a party wing.

The word is native Vietnamese and forms numerous compounds with broad application in biology, engineering, architecture, and daily speech.