i

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *i (“we (you and me)”), via Proto-Kuki-Chin *i.


thin

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thin, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-sin.


that

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *that, *thaʔ (“to kill”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sat (“to kill”).


hi

hei (pronominal)
he (pronominal)
hian (oblique)


Mizoram

Compound of Mizo (“the Mizo people”) + ram (“land; jungle”).


lam

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *lam, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lam (“road, way”).


ber

to (“expensive”) → to ber (“most expensive”)

Marks the superlative degree of an adjective: most


long

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *looŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-lawŋ.


han

Directional verbal particle; may indicate movement upwards or towards the speaker


ha

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *haa, usually derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-wa.


lu

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *luu, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *qV-luʔ.


pe

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *pia, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *Pi(k).


sum

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *shum, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsum.


ani

despite being originally singular and plural respectively

have been completely interchangeable since the early 20th century

The ellipses indicate the location of the verb in relation to the agreement pronouns surrounding it


che

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *teʔ, originally a copula "you are".

second-person singular object marker: you sg


lo

Negative particle; placed after a verb to negate it


ko

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaw, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kaw.

to call [with another entity being called]


va

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *waa (“bird”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *waʔ (“bird”).


zo

Vanglaini, 18 August 2025


-in

Probably a reduced form of the instrumental marker in.

Marks the ergative case on a noun phrase.


sial

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *sial (“buffalo, mithun”).


nang

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *naŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *na-ŋ (“thou”).


aw

Used to ask for permission to do what was described in the preceding sentence


ui

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔuy, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kwiy.


sûr

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *shuur (“to rain”).


ka

kan (plural)
mi (accusative)
min (accusative)

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaj ~ kaj-maʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ka (“I; me”).

I, my (first-person singular clitic pronoun)

Proto-Kuki-Chin language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language


kan

we, our (1st-person plural clitic pronoun)


tel

to accompany, join (other people in a group)


a

he, she, it; his, her, its (3rd-person singular clitic pronoun)


thai

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thaay (“to scrape, shovel”).


ár

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔaar. Cognates include Khumi Chin ae and Zou ah.


ruh

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ruʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *rus.


vek

A similar word appears in Tedim Chin vekpi (“all”).

Vanglaini, 5 March 2025

Mizoram government will not sell alcohol; we will buy all ginger

Mizoram sorkarin zu a zuar dawn lo; Sawhthing kan lei vek dawn


kut

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kut, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k(r)u-t.


lum

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *lum, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lum.


sil

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *sil, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sjərl.


-te

naupang (“child”) + -te → naupangte (“children”)


mang

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *maŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(s/r)-ma(ŋ/k).


suan

to move, transfer (to a different location)


pali

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *li, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pV-lij.


în

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔiin (“to drink”), a word missing from VanBik but present in STEDT.


kâr

space, distance, interval (between things)


lokal

From lo (indicates motion to speaker) + kal (“to go”).


thiam

tih thiam

koh thiam

to know how to [with the stem II of another verb]


taksa

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tak-shaa. Contains sa (“flesh”).


tah

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tak, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tək.


suh

prohibitive or negative imperative marker


tla

to fall (move from one height to a lower height)


panga

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ŋaa, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *l-ŋaʔ.


ip

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔip, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ʔip.


sava

From sa (“animal”) + va (“bird”, bound morpheme).


hausa

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *haaw (“rich, wealthy”) + sa (“to make”).

Mitê leh milian, Hausa leh rethei, in zavaiin

1995, Mizo Bible, India: Bible Society of India, Sam [Psalms] 49:2:

Both low and high, Rich and poor together.


vâng

[...] zirlai naupang 6,452 chu food poisoning vangin an damlo tawh.

Vanglaini, "Food poisoning vangin Indonesia-ah naupang 6,000 chuang damlo [Over 6000 children sick due to food poisoning in Indonesia]", 26 September 2025

...over 6452 schoolchildren have fallen ill due to food poisoning.


puah

to prepare (materials for further use); Lorrain includes the following use cases:

to get together building materials for construction


sâm

to clear, mow (a location of plants that are to be cut down)


thi

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thii, *thiʔ (“to die”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sij (“to die”).


pariat

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *riat, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pV-rjat.


nufa

Vanglaini, 31 October 2016

(Electric) current claims lives of mother and children in Meghalaya

mother and child (or children) collectively


sorkar

From Bengali সরকার (śorkar), from Classical Persian سرکار (sarkār).


phur

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *phur, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pV-kur.


mawi

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *mǒoy, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m(r)əj.


varak

According to STEDT, from a Wanderwort mediated by Indo-Aryan; see Hindi बत्तख़ (battax) for relatives.


ngau

capped langur monkey (Trachypithecus pileatus)


vok

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *wok, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pʷak. Cognates include Zou vok and Burmese ဝက် (wak).


thei

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thay (“to know, be able”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sjəj (“to know”).

inh

can, may, be able to [with a preceding stem I verb]


Mizo

From mi (“person”) + zo (“high”), literally “high(land) person”.

compound

Mizo ṭawng

Mizo naupang panga


pasal

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *pa-sal. Analyzable as pa (“father”) + sal (“man in household”)


leh

kei leh nang


ruah

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ruaʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *rV-waʔ. Compare Proto-Tibeto-Burman *rwa.


sipai

Borrowed from an Indo-Aryan language, which in turn borrowed it from Classical Persian سپاهی.


-tu

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tuu (“who”), whence also the interrogative pronoun tu.

Nominalizes verbs to indicate the agent of an action: -er


sual

mi sual


râk

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *raak. Cognate to Lai raak.


boral

From bo (“to get lost”) + ral (“to disappear”).


fanu

Compound of fa (“offspring, child”) + nu (“female”).


Bawrh-saia

British East India Company
British East India Company


ziak

Lekhabu ka ziak


hotu

From ho (“to look after”) + -tu (agent suffix).

af

official (someone in the government, especially those communicating with the media)


nangni

From Kuki-Chin *naŋ, ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *na-ŋ (“you”).


-ah

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔaʔ (locative marker).

thubuai (“case”) + -ah → thubuaiah (“in the case”)

Mizoram + -ah → Mizoramah (“in Mizoram”)

English August + -ah → August-ah (“in August”)


tlu

to fall (without movement from one height to another)


nâ

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *naa, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *na (“to feel hurt, ill”).


ṭawng

Mizo ṭawng


samak

Compound of sa (“animal”) + mak (“strange”).


sùalna

From süal (“wicked”) + -na (“nominalizer”).


mawlna

From mâwl (“stupid”) + -na (nominalizer).


tǔi

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-turʔ (“water”). Cognate to S'gaw Karen ထံ (hṭee).


ṭai

Maybe a cognate of Mizo rah (“fruit”) according to Schuessler (2007), although Sagart (2002) associates it with Tibetan ཁྲེ (khre, “millet”), which possibly comes from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *khrəj. (“millet, rice”).


sazu

Second element (-zu) from Proto-Kuki-Chin *yuu, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-jəw-n ~ bwəj.


kaikuang

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaay ~ ŋaay-kuaŋ (“lobster, prawn, shrimp”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-k(j)aːj.


hming

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-miŋ. Cognate with Burmese အမည် (a.many) and Tibetan མིང (ming, “name”).


sawi

lâwmthu sawi


muang

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *muaŋ (“safe; to trust”).


inkâr

From in- (reciprocal prefix) + kâr (“step”).

Aizawl leh Sairang inkârah

the space, distance, or interval between two things


pakua

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kua, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d/s-kəw.


pakhat

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *khat, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kat.


pahnih

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *(h)niʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kV-ni-s.


pathum

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thum, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kV-sum.


paruk

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ruk, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-ruk.


pasarih

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *sa-riʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ni-s.


sâwm

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *soom (“to invite”).


phiat

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *phiat, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k/p-y(w)ak.


hrik

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hrik, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *srik.


hrem

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hrem (“to punish; to torture”).


hmangaih

From hma (“front”) + ngai (“to yearn, long for”).


thûr

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thu(u)r ~ tho(o)r (“acid; sour”) (STEDT), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *səwr (“sour; be acid”). Cognate with Chinese 酸 (OC *sloːn).


kûk

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kuːk (“to weep; to wail”). Cognate with Chinese 哭 (kū, “to cry”).


hnâr

From Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-na ~ *s-naːr (STEDT), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-na(r). Compare Tangut 𗮮 (*nji̱²), Northern Qiang ৚৐঩঑৖/sduez, Burmese နှာ (hna), Tibetan སྣ (sna), Nuosu ꅳꁖ (hnap bbit), Lolopo noxlbbex.

valley that holds the headwaters of a river


keh

This seems to be the Stem II of Proto-Kuki-Chin *kek (“to burst, rupture”), but VanBik and others omit this word for reasons unclear.


hmang

African zingah 1.2% chauhin 5G network hmang


hlep

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hlep, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lep.


mâkpa

From Proto-Tibeto-Burman *maːk (“son-in-law, genitals”). Compare Tibetan མག་པ (mag pa), Dzongkha རྨགཔ (rmagp, “husband”), Galo magbo, Adi mak-bo, Lisu ꓟꓯꓸ ꓪꓵ (mǽ wy); also compare Jingpho /da-maʔ/, Southern Qiang /tʃɿ⁵⁵ ma³¹/ (Taoping), Northern Qiang /tʃɪ miɛ/ (Mawo), Situ /tə nmak/ (Ma'erkang / Barkam), Burmese သမက် (sa.mak), Lepcha ᰕᰤᰩᰭ (myók), S'gaw Karen မာ် (mạ).
Benedict (1979) also compares this to 牡 (OC *mɯwʔ, “male”), though this is disputed. (STEDT)

cog

/tʃɿ⁵⁵ ma³¹/

“Tu nge maw ka niha, Israel rama ka pa chhûngte pawh eng mi nge an niha lal mâkpa ka han nihna tûr chu le?”.

1995, Mizo Common Language Bible, Bible Society of India, 1 Samuel 18:18:

Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? (KJV)


kâng

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaaŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kaŋ (“to burn, roast”)


rawh

Ṭhu rawh!

Forms imperative commands when following a verb.


rawh

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *raw, stem II *roʔ.


bâwng la

From bâwng (“cattle”) + la (“newly mature”).


bâwngpui

From bâwng (“cattle”) + -pui (“adult female”). See also Tedim Chin bawngpi (“cow”).


sebâwng

From sial (“mithun, gayal”) + bâwng (“cattle”).


birh

Seems to have some causative relationship with bir (“to swoop”).


bâwngpu

From bâwng (“cattle”) + pu (“overseer”).


tawng

Despite similar meaning, not the same word as "meet"; they have different tones, and Lorrain does not give the stem II form tawn as being applicable for these senses.


khâwng

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *khooŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *koŋ.


khawlian

From khua (“village, town, city”) + lian (“large”).


khâwnvâr

some device that creates bright light, like:


khawrh fai

From khawrh (“to serve (from a pot)”) + fai (“to clean”).


khawsak

stem II of khawsa (“to carry out, live”)


khawsak dân

From khawsak (“life”) + dân (“way, manner”).


khawsik

From khua (“atmosphere”) + sik (“cold”).


hâl khalh

From hâl (“to burn”) + khalh (“to get in front”).

to do a controlled burn (to burn away fuel before a larger fire can reach it)


hâlpuak

From hâl (“to burn”) + puak (“to burst, explode”).

(transitive) to blow up with an explosion


hâlmawi

From hâl (“to burn”) + mawi (“beautiful”).


hlawhtling

From hlawh (“payment”) + tling (“to accumulate”)

2022 January 1, “Halpuah leh halmawi khap a hlawhtling lo”, in Vanglaini:

The explosives and fireworks ban is not successful


tling

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *pliŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pV-leŋ (“to fill”).

(intransitive) to accumulate, collect, gather (into a larger mass)


hlawh

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hloʔ (“wages”). It may be the Stem II of an adjective *hlook (“profitable”), whence hlâwk (“profitable”).

payment, wages, salary (for doing something)


thawnthu

Cognate to Tedim Chin tangthu and Falam Chin thuanthu.


tawh

Placed after a verb to indicate the completion of an action in the past or future.


thubuai

From thu (“word”) + buai (“disordered”).


hlâwk

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hlook (“profitable”). Cognate to Lai hlawk. The term hlawh (“wages, payment”) may have been the Stem II of this adjective.


infiam

From in- (reciprocal prefix) + fiam (“to play”).


châwm

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tsoom. Cognate to Falam Chin cawm.

2023 September 27, “Aizawl mipui 4,45,000 tuia chawm thei tura tih 37 MLD Water Treatment Plant hawn a ni”, in Vanglaini:

It is the opening of the 37 MLD Water Treatment Plant, made to be able to supply water to 445,000 people in Aizawl


dâwn

kal dâwn

Auxiliary verb indicating that an action may be about to happen


inelna

From in- (“each other”) + el (“to compete”) + -na (nominalizer), literally “competing with each other”.

weightlifting inelna


Pathian

From pa (“father”) + thiang (“clean, pure”).


thiang

Vanlalliana, in Vanglaini, 5 February 2022

Is this areca nut smuggling right or wrong [lit. not right] in the eyes of a Christian?

Kohhran thlirnaah Kuhva tawlh ruk hi a thiang nge thiang lo?


tawlh ru

From tawlh (“to move”) + ru (“stealthily”).

ruihhlo tawlh rûk


tawlh rûk

stem II of tawlh ru (“to smuggle”): smuggling, trafficking


tawlh

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tool (“to slide”).


chung thu rêl

From chung thu (“words”) + rêl (“to plan, arrange”).

compound

thi tura chung thu rel

Vanglaini, 22 March 2025

Three Indians sentenced to death for drug trafficking

India mi 3 ruihhlo tawlh ruk vangin thi turin an chungthu rel

to sentence [with tura preceded by the punishment]


ruihhlo

From rui (“intoxicated”) + hlo (“drug”).


râlthuam

From râl (“enemy”) + thuam (“equipment”).


thuam

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *thuam (“clothes”).

Items that accompany a person, like:
equipment

Items that accompany a person, like:
clothing

Items that accompany a person, like:
dowry


puang

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *phuaŋ (“to reveal”).

Vanglaini, 25 September 2025

Meta, the platform overseeing WhatsApp, is rolling out a new message translation feature, the company revealed on Tuesday.

Meta platform enkawl WhatsApp chuan message translate theihna feature thar a tichhuak tih company chuan Thawhlehni khan a puang.


firfiak

Possibly from fîr (“pure”) + fiak (“high-pitched”).

Jammu and Kashmir-a Srinagar-a Batmaloo bialah nimin khan police hnuaia special operations group (SOG) leh firfiakte an inkap a, police pakhat a thi a, midang pathumin hliam an tuar.

Vanglaini, "J&K-ah police leh firfiakte inkap [Police and terrorists shoot each other in Jammu and Kashmir]," 13 August 2018

In the Batmaloo district of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, police officers under the Special Operations Group and terrorists shot at each other; one police officer died, [and] three other people suffered injuries.


inkâp

From in- (reflexive and reciprocal prefix) + kâp (“to shoot”).

af

Vanglaini, "Meghalaya CM Security Personnel Imphal-ah inthat [Meghalaya Chief Minister's security personnel kills himself in Imphal]", 10 April 2018

A member of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma's escort team's security personnel shot himself to death in Imphal on Sunday.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma escort tu team zinga mi security personnel pakhat chu Pathianni khan Imphal-ah a inkap hlum.


Pathianni

From Pathian (“God”) + ni (“day”), likely a calque of Latin dies Dominicus (literally “day of the Lord”).

calque

days of the week: chawlhkâr ni: Chawlhni

Pathianni · Thawhṭanni · Thawhlehni · Nilaini · Ningani · Zirtâwpni · Inrinni [edit]


kâp

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaap (“to shoot”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(k)ap (“to shoot”).


inthat

From in- (reciprocal and reflexive prefix) + that (“to kill”).


thla

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *khlaa (“to drop”).


hmêl

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hmeel, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-merl.


zirlai naupang

From zirlai (“student”) + naupang (“child”).


lîrnghîng

From lîr (“to roll”) + nghîng (“to shake”).


khawpui

From khua (“city”) + -pui (“large, great”).

Vanglaini, "Philippines-ah lirnghing vangin mi 22 an thi [22 people die due to an earthquake in the Philippines]", 2 October 2025

The earthquake began 17 kilometres off the coast of Cebu province's capital, Bogo.

Lir nghin ṭanna hi Cebu province-a tuipui kama khawpui Bogo aṭanga km 17 velah a ni.


rual

bâwng rual

group (of entities):
herd, flock (of animals)

lawng rual


vawi

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *way (“time(s)”), with irregular rounding of the vowel.


chhandamna

From chhandam (“to save, rescue”) + -na (nominalizer).


chhandam

From chhan (“to come to rescue”) + dam (“alive, well”).


champha pha

From champha (“anniversary”) + pha (“to reach”).

Vawiin ka pian champha pha...


champha phâk

Vawiin October ni 2 hi Chhandamna Kohhran [...] din champha phak a ni a.

Zalen, "Chhandamna Kohhran-in an din champha hmang [The Salvation Church spend the anniversary of their foundation]", 2 October 2025

Today, this 2nd of October, is the anniversary of the foundation of the Salvation Church.


hmin

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hmin, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-min.


hmui

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hmuy (“to smell good”).


hmeichhia

The first element is from Proto-Kuki-Chin *hmay (“widow”).


hnêm

to comfort, console, cheer up (someone in grief)


hnem

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hnem (“much, many”).


hnim

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hnim, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *nup ~ nip.


hnai

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hnaay (“pus”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-naj (“pus”).


hnap

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hnap, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-nap.


rûl

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ruul, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-mrul.


zâng

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *yaaŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *jaŋ (“light”).


thli

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *khlii, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *qV-lij.


ṭum

Vanglaini, "Myanmar sipaite hruai haw an ni [Burmese soldiers returned home]", 25 January 2024

A Burmese plane landed two times at Lengpui Airport yesterday, each time carrying home 53 people.

Myanmar thlawhtheina hi nimin khan ṭum hnih Lengpui Airport-ah rawn ṭum a, ṭum khatah mi 53 ve ve a phur haw a ni.


sawp

to wash (by squeezing and striking the clothes)


thlawhtheihna

From thlâwk (“to fly”) + thei (“to be able”) + -na (nominalizer), literally “thing that can fly”.


-pui

bâwng (“cattle”) + -pui → bâwngpui (“cow”)


tual

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tual (“front yard”).


hruai

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hruay; STEDT further compares Proto-Northern Naga *ruaːy and Jingpho woi.


Thawhlehni

From thawk (“work”) + leh (“again”) + ni (“day”).


Thawhṭanni

From thawk (“to work”) + ṭan (“to begin”) + ni (“day”), literally “the day work begins”.


Nilaini

From ni (“day”) + lai (“middle”) + ni (“day”).


Ningani

From ni (“day”) + nga (“five”) + ni (“day”); Thursday is the fifth day of the week starting from Sunday.


Zirtâwpni

Generally understood by Mizos (e.g. here) as from zir (“to learn”) + tâwp (“to end”) + ni (“day”), literally “the day learning ends”, as Friday is the end of the school week.


Inrinni

From inring (“to prepare”) + ni (“day”).


chawlhkâr

From châwl (“to rest”) + kâr (“interval”).


card eng

a yellow card that marks one as eligible to receive subsidized food from the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme


khawnge

From khua (“town”) + nge (wh-question particle).

Khawnge i awm?

Khawnge i kal dâwn?


mipui

From mi (“people”) + -pui (augmentative suffix).


che u

From che (“you sg (object)”) + u (plural verbal particle).

compound

you <abbr title="singular number">sg</abbr> (object)

second-person plural object marker, placed after the verb: you pl


bekang

From be (“bean”) + kang (“to fry”); soybeans are used to make frying oil.


bepui pawr

From bepui (“large bean”) + pawr (“rough”).


behlawi

From be (“bean”) + hlawi (“to strip off lengthwise”). The long cowpea can be likened to e.g. a feather stripped of all its barbs.


hlawi

to forcibly remove elements along the length of a long object


behliang

A compound of be, but no term hliang can be found in Lorrain's dictionary.


maipâwl

From mai (“pumpkin”) + pâwl (“blue, dusty”).


vaimîm

From vai (“foreigner”) + mîm (“Job's tears”); maize originally came from North America.


ṭangkai

From ṭang (“to serve”) + kai (“to cross, get”); the second element can mean either "pull" or "get", but the fact that this verb has no glottal-stop-final stem II makes "get" a more likely source.

Vanglaini, "Aizawl leh Sairang rel chawlhhmun inkara MST bus tlân mipuiin hmang ṭangkai [Fleet of MST buses put into service between Aizawl and Sairang railway station]", 7 October 2025


ṭang

to maintain to the contrary, stand one's ground


kâphlum

From kâp (“to shoot”) + hlum (“to death”).


rêl

train (type of vehicle that moves on railway tracks)


rêl chawlhhmun

From rêl (“train”) + châwl (“to rest”) + hmun (“place”).


palh

K Thangrimawii (63), Luangmual, Aizawl chu nimin khan a pasal William Vanlalhruaia'n silaiin a kâp palh a, a hliam tuar loin a thi.

Vanglaini, "Luangmualah nupa inkâp palh [Accidental shooting among husband and wife in Luangmual]", 13 September 2025

Yesterday, K Thangrimawii (aged 63) of Luangmual, Aizawl, was accidentally shot by her husband, William Vanlalhruaia, with his rifle; she has died of the injuries she sustained.


rimawi

Zalen, "Drop Doubt-in 'Khawngaihna' music video buaipui mek [Drop Doubt quite busy with 'Khawngaihna' music video]", 11 October 2025

The great Mizo gospel progressive rock band Drop Doubt is about to have [some] new music [out], and they are very busy.

Mizo gospel progressive rock band ropui, Drop Doubt chuan rimawi thar an nei dawn a, an buaipui mek e.


buaipui

From buai (“busy”) + -pui (augmentative suffix).


tûnah

From tûn (“present time”) + -ah (locative suffix), literally “at the present time”.


ropui

From ro (“wealth”) + -pui (augmentative suffix).


infiamna

From infiam (“to play with each other”) + -na (nominalizer).


ṭap

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *krap, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *krəp.


nupa

married couple; husband and wife collectively


nupui

From nu (“mother”) + -pui (augmentative suffix).


farnu

Second element is nu (“mother”). The first element is isolated within Kuki-Chin, but it can be also found in Proto-Tangkhulic *tsar (“sister”).


inthlahdah

From in- (reflexive) + thlah (“to let go”) + dah (“to put”).

af

Vanglaini, 15 October 2025

Home Minister inspects the Sairang train station; "We cannot be careless with ILPs," [says] K Sapdanga

Home Minister-in Sairang rêl station a enfiah; 'ILP-ah inthlahdah thei kan ni lo' - K Sapdanga


enfiah

From en (“to look, view”) + fiah (“clearly”).

Vanglaini, 15 October 2025


lakhuih

From la (“cotton”) + khuih (“comb”); Pandanus fruit was apparently originally used to comb cotton.


lakhuihthei

From lakhuih (“Pandanus”) + thei (“fruit”).


lâwmthu

Zalen, "Lakhuihthei quintal 7500 hralh tawh [7500 quintals of pineapples sold]", 26 August 2025

Sialhawk pineapple farmers say thanks to MIFCO for the sale of the pineapples.

MIFCO a lakhuihthei hralh chungchangah Sialhawk Lakhuihthei chingtuten lawmthu a sawi.


damdawi

From dam (“alive and well”) + dawi (“magic”).


hriattîr

From hria (“to sense”) + tîr (“to send”).


tichhuak

From ti (“to do”) + chhuak (“to go out”).


misual

Zalen, 10 June 2022

Unnoticed assailants vandalize Ramhlun South cemetery

Misual tu tih hriat loh ten Ramhlun South thlanmual suasam


thlânmual

From thlân (“grave”) + mual (“mound, hill”).


nâwt

ha nâwt


delh

to lie, fall, lean (on top of something)


chemtê

From chem (“large knife”) + tê (“small”).


lungngai

From lung (“heart”) + ngai (“to long, miss”).


kângmei

Vanglaini, "Kangmei chhuak vangin in 24 a kang chhia [24 houses burn down due to an outbreak of fire]", 3 August 2024

Authorities [say that] two people were injured by the fire, however, [nobody] has died.

Thuneituten an tarlan danin kangmei vang hian mi pahnih an hliam a, thi erawh an awm lo thung.


kâng chhia

Zalen, "Ram Hectare 2647 kangchhia [2647 hectares of forest burn down]" 19 March 2016

Aizawl: The Environment and Forest Departments note that, from March to May last year, 2647.2 hectares of forest burned 1563 times in Mizoram.

Aizawl: Environment and Forest Deptt. chhinchhiah danin nikum thal lai March atanga May thla chhung khan Mizoramah tum 1563 ram kang Hectare 2647.2 a zau a kang chhia a.


eng tikah

From eng (“what”) + *tik (“time”) + -ah (locative suffix). The second element is from Proto-Kuki-Chin *tik (“time”).


tâthriam

From tât (“to sharpen”) + hriam (“sharp”).


pawt

STEDT apparently identifies this with Proto-Kuki-Chin *bot (“to pluck, pull out”), but the loss of voicing in the initial consonant is peculiar.


pawt sawm

From pawt (“pull”) + sawm (“to be in pieces”).


savawm

From sa (“animal”) + vawm (“bear”, bound morpheme).


vawm

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *wom, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tV-wəm.


insual

From in- (reciprocal prefix) + sual (“bad”).