os

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔap (“duck”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 鴨 (MC 'aep, “duck”).


os

Nyob zoo os.

Tuaj os.

Noj mov os.

a final emphatic particle, usually used to express sincerity


thee

From Thai ถ่าน (tàan) ("charcoal") or Lao ຖ່ານ (thān) ("charcoal"), ultimately from Middle Chinese 炭 (tʰɑnᴴ) ("charcoal").


pom

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *bu̯ət (“to see”). Cognate with Iu Mien buatc.


dub

From Proto-Hmong *qrɛŋᴬ (“black”), related to Proto-Mien *qri̯ɛkᴰ (“black”), though the details are unclear due to irregular rime and tone correspondences.


dua

Muab dua pov tseg.

Nws dua daim ntaub.


dua

hais dua

qab dua


dua

Dua twg lawm?


lem

From Thai เลี้ยว (líao) ("to turn"), with vowel reduction.


dev

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *qluwX (“dog”). Cognate with Iu Mien juv.


zes

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-rəuX. Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] roul and Iu Mien lauz.


laus

From Proto-Hmong *lu̯eiᴮ (“old”), perhaps borrowed from Middle Chinese 老 (lɑu^X, “old”).


kaj

From Proto-Hmong *ɢʷaŋᴬ (“bright, light”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 黃 (MC hwang, “yellow”). Doublet of daj (“yellow”).

(figurative) used in kaj siab (“satisfied with things; with a refreshed spirit”)


mus

From Proto-Hmong *n-mʉŋᴮ (“to go”), from Proto-Hmong-Mien *n-mʉŋ(X) (“id”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *n-mɨŋᴬ (“id”), whence Iu Mien mingh.


tu

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tɛŋH (“to snap”).


tu

och-l

填 (OC *diːn, *diːns, *tin, *tins, “to fill”)


zoo

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-ʔrɔŋH (“good”), possibly borrowed from Old Chinese 良 (*raŋ, “good”). Cognate with Iu Mien longx.


tau

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *təuk, from Old Chinese 得 (OC *tɯːɡ).

Kuv tsis tau ua.

(used preverbally) perfective action marker

Ua tau.

(used postverbally) potential mood marker


kim

From Middle Chinese 貴 (kʉiᴴ, “expensive”)


los

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ləwX (“to come back”).

to come, return (to one's home or to a place where one resides)


ob

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔu̯i (“two”). Cognate with Iu Mien i.


log

From Thai ล้อ (lɔ́ɔ) ("wheel") + or from Lao ລໍ້ (lǭ) ("wheel"), ultimately from Middle Chinese 轆 (luk̚) ("wheel").


tom

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *dəp (“to bite”); compare Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ketep (“id”), whence Indonesian ketip (“dime, dite”).


mos

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mənX/H (“fine (as of flour)”).

inh

fine, small (of writing, embroidery, etc.)

Lus mos lus tuaj pos.


mos

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *məuŋX (“fly (insect)”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 蠓 (MC muwng|muwngX, “midge”).


mos

Probably borrowed from Chinese 摩 (mó, “to rub”).

mos nplej

to rub rice (off the stalk with hands or feet)

mos qhov muag

mos plab

to massage the abdomen or stomach, to rub the tummy

to squash or squeeze into a pulp, as in preparing certain vegetables


kam

Kuv kam thiab.

Kuv tsis kam mus.


kam

Noj mov tsi kam.

Nws sau ntawv tsis kam.


kam

Koj muaj kam dab tsi?

What is your business? What do you want?

kam teb chaws


da

From Thai ดำ (dam) ("to dive") or Lao ດຳ (dam) ("to dive"), from Proto-Tai *ɗamᴬ (“to dive”).


dos

From Proto-Hmong *ɢləŋᴮ (“vegetables in the genus Allium”).


dav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *qlaŋX (“hawk, eagle”). Cognate with Iu Mien jaangv.


dav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *Kʷi̯aŋX (“wide”), from Chinese 廣／广. Cognate with Iu Mien jangv. Compare Thai กว้าง (gwâang) and Lao ກວ້າງ (kuāng).


ua

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔəjH (“to do, work”).


nej

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mi̯əu (“you all”).

you (three or more: second person plural)

your (three or more: second person plural)


fab

Borrowed from Chinese 方 (fāng, “direction”).


fab

mob fab

of a fit or coma after eating something that doesn't agree

Nws fab tshuaj tuag.

It died of allergic reaction to medicine.


nab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔnaŋ (“snake”). Cognate with Iu Mien naang.


dab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *qlaŋ (“neck”); related to Old Chinese 頸 (OC *keŋʔ, *ɡeŋ, “neck”).

(in compounds) neck or other narrow object


dab

From Proto-Hmong *qraŋᴬ (“spirit, ghost”).

(evil) spirit, considered responsible for epileptic attacks among other things


dab

a trough, a hollowed out length of log etc.

dab zaub

a trough for putting vegetable greens in


ko

ko taus

a handle (of any hand tool or implement, etc.)

used in ko taw (“foot”) and ko tw (“tail”)


ko

zh-l

乎 (hū, “in, on; (archaic) sentence-final particle”)

Koj hais li ko...

Txhob ua li ko.


su

From Proto-Hmong *sjɛŋᶜ (“midday meal”),


su

(of bread, cakes, etc.) to increase in volume


tag

Alternative form of tas (“completion particle”)


sov

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *sji̯ouX (“warm”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 暑 (MC syoX, “hot, sultry”).

dej sov

Koj lub tsev sov sov li.

Your house is bustling with activity (("warm" with people and noise).


dais

From Middle Chinese 魋 (duʌi) ("bear" or "brown bear").


hub

From Mandarin 壶 (hú) ("pot" or"kettle").

a clay pot or vase, especially as used for storing food or water


sib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-sji̯eu (“lightweight”).

Lub hnab sib.


sib

Cov zaub tuaj sib sib.

sparsely, spacing, creating a gap between objects or plants


sib

From Proto-Hmong *sjɨᴬ⁻ᴰ (“reciprocal marker”), borrowed from Chinese 廝／厮 (sī, “mutually”).

bor+

Mus sib ntsib

Nkawv sib ntaus.

mutually, acting together or against each other


tas

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-dam(X) (“half (of day)”).


tas

Noj tas lawm.

particle used to indicate completion of an action: done, finished, completed

zoo tas tas

an unrestricted post-verbal intensifier commonly duplicated when used


nag

From Proto-Hmong *m-noŋᶜ (“rain”); likely related to Proto-Mien *mbluŋᶜ (“id”) and Proto-Mon-Khmer *pliɲ ~ *[p]liiɲ ~ *[p]liəɲ (“sky”), whence Khmer ភ្លៀង (phliəng, “id”).


nag

used to denote days different from today:

used in nag kis (“the day after tomorrow”)


tav

Neeg muaj 12 tug tav.


tav

Nws mus tav nyuj noj zaub.

to herd animals, drive animals with a stick

Ib tug nab pw tav kev.

Nws tav cov ntsis zaub.


tav

txog tav no

tav twg?

Tav twg kuj tau.


sia

sia siv


noob

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hnru̯em (“seed”).


pov

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pənX (“to shoot”).


foob

From Lao ຟ້ອງ (fǭng) or Thai ฟ้อง (fɔ́ɔng).


tig

From Vietnamese đi ("to go", "to walk), borrowed with a more restrictive definition.


mob

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔmun (“illness, pain”). Cognate with Iu Mien mun.


ya

Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] eint.


tug

Alternative form of tus (“classifier for long objects (such as rods or sticks) and animals or beings”)


tes

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-bɔuX (“hand, arm”). Not related to Vietnamese tay (“hand”), though the change of the onset from b to t may have been influenced by it.


dib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *Kʷa (“cucumber”), borrowed from Old Chinese 瓜 (OC *kʷraː).


hais

From Middle Chinese 話 (ɦˠuaiᴴ) ("to say" or "word").


ev

ncog

Japanese 負う (ou, “to bear, carry on one's back”)

Nws ev ib kawm pobkws puvnkaus.

She carries a full back-basket of corn (on her back).

to carry (a child, basket, etc.) on the back


hu

Probably borrowed from Chinese 呼 (“to exhale; to shout, call”).

bor+

Hu kuv.


hau

From Proto-Hmong *hu̯eiᶜ (“to boil (transitive)”).

inh

hau zaub

to boil (something in water or in liquid)


hau

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *S-phreiX (“head”).

hau xaws

the fontanelle on the head of a young child


hau

hau rog

the leader of the group that circles the house in mock battle at a funeral


tiam

Ib tiam neeg muaj kev kawm zoo zuj zus.

Each generation has better education (than the previous).


tiam

Nws tiam nws pog yawg.


tub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tu̯ɛn (“son, boy”).


haus

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hup (“to drink, smoke”).

Kuv haus dej.


deb

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *qʷuw (“far”). Cognate with Iu Mien go.


leeg

From Middle Chinese 藍 (lɑm, “green, blue, grue”). Historically there was no distinction between green and blue.


luv

From Proto-Hmong *ʔlɛŋᴮ (“short”), and cognate with Proto-Mien *ʔnəŋᴮ (“id”). Due to the n-l alternation between Mienic and Hmongic, a Chinese borrowing seems possible, though no plausible candidate has been found.


lus

Possibly related to Old Chinese 語 (OC *ŋaʔ, *ŋas, “word, language”).


mij

From Vietnamese mì, Thai หมี่ (mìi), or Lao ໝີ່ (mī), ultimately from Teochew 麵／面 (min⁷, “noodles”) or Hokkien 麵／面 (mī, “noodles”).


tais

From Thai ถ้วย (tûai) ("cup" or "bowl") or Lao ຖ້ວຍ (thuāi) ("cup" or "bowl").


tus

From Proto-Hmong *dɛŋᴮ (“classifier for horses”), probably borrowed from Chinese 頭／头 (“head; classifier for animals, cylindrical stub-like objects, etc.”).

bor+

classifier for long objects (such as rods or sticks) and animals or beings


zaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-roŋ (“dragon”), borrowed from Old Chinese 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ, “id”). Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] ronf and Iu Mien jung.


zaj

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 行 (MC hang|haeng|hangH|haengH, “classifier for rows”).

ltc-l

Hu zaj no.

classifier used for nouns like sayings, speeches, poems, paragraphs, hymns, chapters, times of sorrow or grief, litters of young, etc.


vaj

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang|hjwangH, “king”) or Mandarin 王 (wáng, “id”).


vaj

From Proto-Hmong *waŋᴬ (“garden”), borrowed from Old Chinese 園 (OC *ɢʷan, “garden”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *hwunᴬ (“id”).

a garden, an enclosure for planting vegetables, fruit, etc.

Tuaj, peb xov vaj ncig daim teb.

Come, we'll put a fence around the field.


taub

From Proto-Hmong *tuwᴬ (“gourd”), possibly borrowed from Central Tai *tauᴮ.


nas

From Proto-Hmong *naŋᴮ (“mouse, rat”). Related to Proto-Mien *nauᴮ (“id”), though the difference in rime is unexplained. Probably not related to Thai หนู (nǔu, “id”).

nas kauv

a type of small mouse with light brown fur and white belly


kaum

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *gju̯ɛp (“ten”). Cognate with Iu Mien ziepc.


kaus

Dev tom nws ib kaug.

rau kaus mov


kaus

kaus nplej

kaus pob kws


kaus

bor+

borrowed from Thai กลด (glòt, “ceremonial umbrella”)

Nws nqa ib lub kaus mus teb.


kaus

kaus av

kaus qhov muag

to gouge out, scrape with a gouging motion


cev

From Proto-Hmong *cæwᴮ (“body, trunk”). Related to Proto-Hmong *ɟæwᴮ (“leg, branch”), whence ces, ceg (“leg, branch”).


nanej

From Lao ນາງເອກ (nāng ʼēk) ("heroine" or "female protagonist")

bor

Lao ນາງເອກ (nāng ʼēk)

a heroine, such as a leading female actress in a movie


rau

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *kruk (“six”), of Sino-Tibetan origin. Cognate with Iu Mien juqv.


rau

From Proto-Hmong *tru̯eiᶜ (“hoof, claw, nail”), probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 蹢 (MC drjek|tek, “hoof”).


rau

From Proto-Hmong *trɔᶜ (“to put on, wear (shoes)”), probably borrowed from Old Chinese 著 (OC *taʔ, *tas, *da, *taɡ, *daɡ, “to put on, wear, place, apply”).

och-l

Rau qhov no.

Yuav muab rau qhov twg?

Muab rau rau hauv.

Kuv rau khau.

Nws rau tshuaj.

to put on or wear (shoes, etc.), to put in place

Nws rau txuj lom rau cov nqaij.


rau

Pub rau kuv.

Kuv hais rau koj.

Muab cov nqaij tso rau hauv tub yees.

Muab phau ntawv cia rau saum rooj.

Nws taw rau daim paib.


ris

提 (OC *deː, *dje, “to raise, carry, lift”)


tij

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *da (“elder brother”), possibly related to Chinese 弟 (dì, “younger brother”), though the details are unclear.


nus

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *neuŋX (“mother's brother”).


kub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *kjeəm (“gold”), borrowed from Old Chinese 金 (OC *krɯm, “gold, metal”).

Nws muaj nyiaj muaj kub ntau ntau.


kub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *klɛɔŋ (“horn”). Cognate with Iu Mien jorng.


kub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *k(h)lɛɔm (“hot (water)”). Cognate with Iu Mien jorm.

hluav taws kub

used figuratively to describe earnestness, "hot-hearted"


kub

kub hnyiab lawm

Nws lub tsev kub hnyiab tag lawm.

kub hlab lawm


ib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔɨ (“one”), from Old Chinese 一 (yī) (/*ʔit/).


ib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔwi̯æn (“crest, comb”), borrowed from Chinese 冠 (“crest, crown”).

bor+

comb (fleshy growth on the top of the head) on a cock; a comb-like body part on another animal


pab

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 幫 (MC pang, “to help, assist”).

Kuv pab nws sau ntawv.


cais

borrowed from Chinese 拆 (“to dismantle”)

Lawv cais nws tawm hauv tsev neeg.

to separate from, exclude, segregate, split


paj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *bi̯aŋ. Cognate with Green Hmong paaj, Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] beinx, Iu Mien biangh. Alternatively, could be borrowed from Burmese ပန်း (pan:) ("flower").


paj

A calque of clipping Thai ดอกเบี้ย (dɔ̀ɔk-bîia) ("interest"), from ดอก (dɔ̀ɔk, “flower”) + เบี้ย (bîia, “money”).

bor

Thai ดอกเบี้ย (dɔ̀ɔk-bîia)


dej

From Proto-Hmong *ɢlæwᴬ (“river”), probably related to Proto-Mon-Khmer *ruŋ (“river”) and Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kl(j)u(ŋ/k) (“river, valley”); see there for more.


no

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔnu̯ɔmH (“cold”).

No no li.


no

lub tsev no

an indicator of current or present location: this (place, time, person, thing)


muaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *n-mɛj (“to have”), possibly related to Chinese 買／买 (mǎi, “to buy”) and 賣／卖 (mài, “to sell”) (and thus muas (“to buy”) and muag (“to sell”)), though the details are unclear. Cognate with Iu Mien maaih.


pua

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pæk (“hundred”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 百 (MC paek, “hundred”).


pua

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 布 (MC puH, “to spread out; cloth”).

to prepare a flat surface, to prepare a level place on the ground

pua pob zeb

pua chaw pw


kua

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *klæwX (“liquid, soup”).


zog

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-rək, borrowed from Old Chinese 力 (OC *k.rək, “force”). Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] ros.


puas

Koj puas xav noj?

interrogative particle, inserted in front of a verb to turn a declarative sentence into a question


puas

From Proto-Hmong *bu̯aᴮ (“bad, spoiled”), likely borrowed from Middle Chinese 腐 (MC bjuX, “to spoil, rot”).

puas lawm

to destroy, to spoil, to make or become useless


zis

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *raˣ. Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] raol.


kho

to reforge or repair (metal knives, etc. that have been chipped or blunted)


kho

lonely, melancholy, filled with longing and nostalgia, homesick


taw

From Proto-Hmong *towᶜ (“foot”). Note similarities to Thai เท้า (táao, “id”).


taws

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *douX. Cognate with Iu Mien douz.


zos

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *rəŋX, borrowed from Middle Chinese 里 (MC liX, “village”). Cognate with Iu Mien laangz.


cua

From Proto-Hmong *cu̯aᶜ (“to chew”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 嚼 (MC dzjak, “to chew”).

Tus aub cua pob txha.


cua

Cov cua tshuab ceev heev

Cov cua twj cuab huv dua cua nruab nroog.

The air in the suburbs is cleaner than the air in the city.

Nws lub tsev muaj cua.

Nws ua neeb xa cua.

He performs a shaman ritual to send away death.

(figuratively) the carrier of death, normally represented by the bamboo carriage made to carry the dead


noj

From Proto-Hmong *nuŋᴬ (“to eat”); possibly related to Proto-Mien *ɲənᶜ (“to eat”), as well as Old Chinese 茹 (OC *nja, *njaʔ, *njas, “to eat”).


siv

siv ceeb

the variegated headband traditionally worn by Hmong women

tw siv

the embroidered ends on a Hmong woman's apron sash; the tail of a belt


siv

Yuav ua li cas siv?

Kuv tsis txawj siv.


loj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hljo (“big”). Cognate with hlob (“to grow”), Iu Mien hlo.


rab

From Proto-Hmong *traŋᴬ (“classifier for tools”), borrowed from Old Chinese 張 (OC *taŋ, *taŋs, “classifier for flat things (originally things like bows and zithers)”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *truŋᴬ (“classifier for tools”).

cog

ib rab diav

classifier for implements tools, utensils, i.e. for things with a handle and used with the hands


nyom

bor+

borrowed from Lao ຫຍ້າ (nyā, “grass, weed”)


qa

Neeg mob qa hais tsis tau lus.

Haus luam yeeb ntau ces lub qa yuav puas.

Smoking too much can ruin your vocal cords.


lub

From Proto-Hmong *ʔlɛŋᴬ (“classifier for bowls and houses”), borrowed from Chinese 庵 (ān, “thatched hut”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *ʔnɛɔmᴬ (“id”).
Other proposals consider the word as borrowed from Proto-Tai *lɯ:kᴰ (“child (offspring)”). If that case, then cognate with Thai ลูก (lûuk), Northern Thai ᩃᩪᨠ, Lao ລູກ (lūk), Lü ᦟᦴᧅ (luuk), Tai Dam ꪩꪴꪀ, Shan လုၵ်ႈ (lūk), Tai Nüa ᥘᥧᥐ (luk), Khamti လုက်ႉ, Phake လုက် (luk), Ahom 𑜎𑜤𑜀𑜫 (luk), Bouyei leg, Zhuang lwg. Within Kra-Dai, compare Sui laag (“son”), Proto-Hlai *hlɯːk (“child; offspring”) (whence ɗɯːʔ⁷~ɬɯːʔ⁷~ɬɯːk⁷~ɬɯaʔ⁷ across the different lects) and Proto-Be *ləːkᴰ² (“child; offspring”) (whence lɛk⁸~lək⁸ across the different lects). Compare also Siraya alak.

bor+

classifier for objects characterized by bulk or roundness:


taum

Taum ntsuab zoo kib xyau nqaij.


mov

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hmeiᴮ. Cognate with Iu Mien hmeiv and Chinese 米 (mǐ, “rice”).


daug

Lub qe daug.


Hmoob

(slang, colloquial) White Hmong, to distinguish from other Hmong people or language


daim

used for objects that are flat, such as sheets and pages


cag

From Proto-Hmong *ɟoŋᴬ (“root”); probably related to Proto-Mien *ndzuŋᴬ (“id”).

Ntoo muaj cag loj.


peb

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-pɔu (“we, us”). Cognate with Iu Mien mbuo.


peb

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pjɔu (“three”). Cognate with Iu Mien buo.


tob

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-tu̯o (“deep”). Cognate with Iu Mien ndo.


teev

Nws siv teev luj khoom.

scale, scales, balance (measuring device)

used in teev dab (“system of giving offerings to spirits”)


teev

Nws tawm hauj lwm thaum 4 teev.


teev

teev dej

to build a dam, to block or stop the flow of liquid

Nws teev khob cawv.


yau

From Proto-Hmong *ʔjuwᶜ (“small, young”), borrowed from Chinese 幼 (“young”).

Nws yau koj.

younger (than), smaller (than), lesser (than)


muas

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mɛjX (“to buy”), probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 買／买 (mǎi, “to buy”). See also muaj (“to have”).


muas

Borrowed from Chinese 馬／马 (mǎ, “horse”).


plas

Plas muaj qhov muag loj.


plas

plas hav zoov laus

ib plag teb

ib plag hluav taws

classifier for a wide expanse or large area


qij

From Proto-Hmong *ɢaᴬ (“garlic”), borrowed from Old Chinese 葫 (OC *qʰaː, *ɡaː, “gourd”).


faus

From Thai ฝัง (fǎng) ("to bury") or Lao ຝັງ (fang) ("to bury"), with vowel reduction.


qe

From Proto-Hmong *qæwᶜ (“egg”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *kləuᶜ (“id”), as well as Old Chinese 卵 (OC *ɡ·roːlʔ, *ɡ·roːnʔ, “egg”); note also similarities to Proto-Tai *qraj (“id”), whence Lao ໄຂ່ (khai, “id”) and Thai ไข่ (kài, “id”).


tw

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tu̯eiX (“tail”). Cognate with Iu Mien dueiv; outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *[k]ɗuut (“tip, tail”), whence Khmer កន្ទូត (kɑɑkɑntuut, “rump of fowl”), as well as Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buntut (“rear end of chicken”), whence Malay buntut (“butt”).


nug

From Proto-Hmong *nɛŋᶜ (“to ask”); related to Proto-Mien *nu̯aiᶜ (“id”).


pliaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *bl-ᴬ (“forehead”); compare Proto-Tai *praːkᴰ (“id”), whence Thai ผาก (pàak, “id”).

plim pliaj

to tilt the forehead back, to throw the head back with the forehead turned upward


nroj tshuag

/ᶯɖɒ˥˧.t͡ʂʰuə̯˧˩̤/

plant (organism capable of photosynthesis)


koj

From Proto-Hmong *gʉᴬ (“you”). Compare Bu-Nao Bunu kau².


tias

Kuv xav tias zaub mov qab zoo.

restricted post-verbal intensifier used after verbs involving speech, sound, or thought, similar to the English usage of that, though with said above restrictions


tias

zh-l

胎記／胎记 (tāijì, “birthmark”, literally “fetus mark”)


pw

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pu̯eiH (“to sleep, to lie down”). Cognate with Iu Mien bueix.


ua si

Borrowed from Chinese 玩耍 (wánshuǎ, “to play”).


ub

pem ub

up and beyond; way up there (up the hill, up north)


nees

From Proto-Hmong *mjænᴮ (“horse”), borrowed from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-m-raŋ ~ s-raŋ (“horse”) via Tibeto-Burman *mraŋ. Compare Burmese မြင်း (mrang:, “id”), as well as Chinese 馬／马 (mǎ, “id”)

zh-l

馬／马 (mǎ, “id”)


nees

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 二 (MC nyijH, “two”).


nees

ua nees

a stretcher, traditionally made of bamboo or wood, to carry the dead


poj

From Proto-Hmong *boᴬ (“female, woman”).


kaws

och-l

咬 (OC *kreːw, *ŋɡreːwʔ, *qreːw, “to bite”)

Dev kaws pob txha.

Nees kaws kaws zaub.


pim

(anatomy, sometimes offensive or explicit) the (external) female genitals, the female sex member, the vulva


daj

From Proto-Hmong *ɢʷaŋᴬ (“yellow”), borrowed from Old Chinese 黃 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ, “yellow”).


kev

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *kləuX (“road, way”). Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] geud, Iu Mien jauv.
Possibly related to either Old Chinese 街 (OC *kreː, *kreː, “street, way”) or 道 (OC *[kə.l]ˤuʔ) (B-S), though whether via borrowing or via inheritance from a common source is unclear.

Koj muaj kev dab tsi?

What is your business? What do you want?


kev

kev mob kev tuag

used to nominalize the word it modifies, used to indicate "the way of ...": -ness


teb

From Middle Chinese 地 (diɪᴴ) ("land" or "field").


pob

Borrowed from Mandarin 包 (“to cover, wrap; bag, package”).

bor+

prefix used in compounds to denote lumpy things, like stones, knots, tree stumps, and earlobes


pob

only used in pob txha (“bone, skeleton, fossil”)


liag

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ljim (“sickle”). Compare Chinese 鐮／镰 (lián).


quaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *Gæw (“to sing, cry out”), borrowed from Old Chinese 號 (OC *ɦlaːw, *ɦlaːws, “to cry”).

inh

Txhob quaj.


neej

From Proto-Hmong *nænᴬ (“person”), possibly borrowed from Chinese 民 (mín, “people”).


plig

From Proto-Hmong *bljaᴬ (“soul, spirit”), probably borrowed from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *b-la (“demon, soul”), and thus cognate with Anong phəla (“god”). Note also Old Chinese 魄 (OC *tʰaːɡ, *pʰraːɡ, “soul”). Compare also Proto-Tai *priːᴬ (“spirit, ghost, soul”), whence Thai ผี (pǐi), Northern Thai ᨹᩦ, Lao ຜີ (phī), Lü ᦕᦲ (ṗhii), Tai Dam ꪠꪲ, Tai Nüa ᥚᥤᥴ (phí), Shan ၽီ (phǐi), Ahom 𑜇𑜣 (phī).


hwj

From Mandarin 壶 (hú) ("pot" or"kettle").


pliag

ib pliag

instant, moment, second (very short period of time)


hmos

ib hmos


xyoos

ib xyoos

ob xyoos


nqov

nyuj nqov


thoob

From Middle Chinese 桶 ("bucket", "can").


lwj

From Thai เน่า (nâo) ("to rot" or "to decay") or Lao ເນົ່າ (nao) ("to rot" or "to decay"). Traditionally, the [l] and [n] were interchangeable.


paub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pei (“to know”). Cognate with Iu Mien bei.


tsib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pra (“five”). Cognate with Iu Mien biaa.


hluas

hluas nkauj, hluas nraug


npe

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mpɔuH (“name”). Cognate with Iu Mien mbuox. Compare also Mon-Khmer terms like Khmer ឈ្មោះ (chmŭəh, “id”).


zaub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-ʔræi (“vegetable”); cognate with Iu Mien lai and perhaps Middle Chinese 卉 (MC xjw+jX|xjw+jH, “herbs, vegetation”). Likely unrelated to Vietnamese rau (“leafy greens, leaf vegetable”), despite superficial similarities.


npua

From Proto-Hmong *mpæᶜ (“pig”). Compare Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pʷak (“id”), whence perhaps Old Chinese 豝 (OC *praː, “sow”).


nees nkaum

/nẽ˩.ᵑɡau̯˩̰/

nees (“two”) + kaum (“ten”), with prenasalization of the second syllable. Compare Chinese 二十 (èrshí, “twenty”).


riam

From Burmese ဓား (dha:) ("knife" or "sword").


roob

From Burmese တောင် (taung) ("mountain").


nyuj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ŋiuŋ (“water buffalo, cow”), borrowed from Old Chinese 牛 (OC *ŋʷɯ, “cow”), albeit with an unexpected nasalization of the ending consonant in the Hmong-Mien form. The White Hmong form's loss of the nasal may be due to phonetic influence from modern Mandarin 牛 (niú). Cognate with Iu Mien ngongh.

inh

nyuj nqov


ntxuav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntsæwX (“to wash (hands)”), borrowed from Old Chinese 澡 (OC *ʔslaːwʔ, “to wash (one's hands)”).

och-l

ntxuav tes

ntxuav cev

to wash something off in water or other liquid


yuav

From Proto-Hmong *ʔjuᴮ (“to ask for, want”), borrowed from Chinese 要 (MC 'jiew|'jiewH).

Nws yuav koj cov lus hais.

Koj yuav lub tsev loj heev

Nkawv tsis tau yuav txiv.

Koj yuav tuaj los tsis tuaj?

used to indicate future tense: will, shall


tuaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *daj (“to come”). Cognate with Iu Mien daaih.

“Koj tuaj los[?]” (“You've come, eh?”) […] “Kuv tuaj os[.]” (“I've come.”)

1994, Sue Murphy Mote, Hmong and American: Stories of Transition to a Strange Land, →ISBN, page 262:

to come (to a place which is not one's home / a place where one does not reside)

Noog tuaj plaub.

to bear, to put forth (as of horns, hair, feathers, a tail, etc.)


nws

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ni̯æn(X) (“3SG (he/she/it)”). Cognate with Iu Mien ninh.


nquag

recover (from an illness), get well, get better


hnub

From Proto-Hmong *hnɛŋᴬ (“sun, day”), borrowed from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-nəj (“id”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *hnu̯ɔiᴬ (“id”), Tibetan ཉི་མ (nyi ma), Old Chinese 日 (OC *njiɡ).

Ib hnub muas 24 teev.

Lub hnub loj dua ntiaj teb.

Lub hnub ci nsta iab.


tsev

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *prəuX (“house”). Cognate with Iu Mien biauv, as well as perhaps Chinese 廟／庙 (miào) (Schuessler, 2007).


Hmoob Dawb

/m̥ɒ̃˥.daɨ̯˥/

White Hmong, to distinguish from other Hmong people or language


Hmoob Dawb

/m̥ɒ̃˥.daɨ̯˥/


ntoo

From Proto-Hmong *ntɔŋᶜ (“tree”), from Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntju̯əŋH (“tree”). Cognate with Iu Mien ndiangx; outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Old Chinese 樹 (OC *djoʔ, *djos, “id”), Proto-Mon-Khmer *t2ʔɔɔŋ (“id”) (whence Bahnar ʔlɔːŋ (“id”)), as well as perhaps Thai ต้น (dtôn, “tree trunk, stalk”) and Lao ຕົ້ນ (ton, “id”).


ntoo

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntɔŋH (“to put on, wear (a cap)”).

to wear on the head, put on (a cap, hat, etc.)


qaib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *Kəi (“chicken”), likely borrowed from Chinese 鷄／鸡 (jī, “id”). Compare also Proto-Tai *kajᴮ (“id”), whence Lao ໄກ່ (kai, “id”) and Thai ไก่ (gài, “id”).


plaub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *plei (“four”). Cognate with Iu Mien biei.


plaub

tshaj (classifier)
txub (classifier)
rooj (classifier)

litigation, cases of dispute, cases at law, legal cases, matters of law


rawg

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *drouH (“chopsticks”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 箸 (MC trjoH|drjoH, “chopsticks”).

kais rawg

to push food into the mouth using chopsticks


ntaiv

From clipping of Thai กระได (grà-dai) ("ladder, stairs"), Thai บันได (ban-dai) ("ladder, stairs"), or Lao ຂັ້ນໄດ (khan dai) ("ladder, stairs").


kuv

From Proto-Hmong *kɛŋᴮ (“I, me”). Cognate with Biao-Jiao Mien kəu³.


qab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-Kaŋ (“back (as opposed to the front)”).

under, underneath, at the base of, at the lower side of


qab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *Kam (“sweet”), borrowed from Old Chinese 甘 (OC *kaːm, “sweet”).


qab

Tsis pom qab mus.


ib txhis

/ʔi˥.t͡ɕʰi˩/

From Mandarin 一直 (yīzhí, “always”) or a Middle Chinese or Old Chinese forerunner of the same.


vaub kib

Borrowed from Mandarin 烏龜／乌龟 (wūguī, “turtle, tortoise”).


maj mam

From Mandarin 慢慢 (mànmàn, “slowly”) or a Middle Chinese or Old Chinese forerunner of the same.


txwm

Apparently from Middle Chinese 子 (MC tsiX).


saht-supahp

From Lao ສັດສຸພາບ (sat su phāp, literally “the polite animal”).

bor

(outdated) saola; the placid ruminant Pseudoryx nghetinhensis


Tuam Tshoj

/tuə̯˩̰.t͡ʂʰɒ˥˧/

From Middle Chinese 大朝 ("Greater Dynasty"), according to the Chinese cultural and historical sphere of influence, i.e. a metaphor for "China". In contrast to Xov Tshoj, i.e. Vietnam.


Tuam Tshoj

/tuə̯˩̰.t͡ʂʰɒ˥˧/


laim

From Proto-Hmong *ljeᴰ (“lightning flash”), borrowed from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-lyap (“lightning flash; glitter; butterfly”). Compare Old Chinese 蝶 (OC *l̥ʰeːb, *l'eːb, “butterfly”), 燁 (OC *ɢʷab, *ɢʷɯb, “gleaming”), 熠 (OC *ɢrub, *lub, “flashing”). Probably not related to Chinese 雷 (léi, “lightning”), despite superficial similarity.
The "flutter" and "cast away" senses are likely semantic extensions of the "flash" sense.


laim

laim muag

to cast a sideways glance, to look from the corner of the eye

qhov muag laim laim

eyes twitching, eyes affected with spasm of fluttering


ceg

From Proto-Hmong *ɟæwᴮ (“leg branch”); cognate with Proto-Hmong *cæwᴮ (“body, trunk”), whence cev (“body”).


ceg

classifier for lengths or sections of a journey, etc.


dawb

From Proto-Hmong *qlowᴬ (“white”). The "free" sense is perhaps a semantic loan from Thai ขาว (kǎao, “white”) or Lao ຂາວ (khāo, “white”), both which have a colloquial usage meaning "free of charge".


tsev neeg

/t͡ʂe˧˦.nẽ˧˩̤/


leej

used for people (especially honored people)


fawm

From Vietnamese phở ("Vietnamese-style noodle").

pho; beef broth soup with rice noodles and usually beef, meatballs, or other meat.


lo lus noog

/lɒ˧.lu˩.nɒ̃˧˩̤/


txoj kev ntseeg

/t͡sɒ˥˧.ke˧˦.ᶯd͡ʐẽ˧˩̤/


txoj

Borrowed from Chinese 條／条 (tiáo, “twig; classifier for long things”).

bor+

ib txoj kev

classifier used for nouns that are in lengths or abstract, such as:

ib txoj cawv

txoj hmoov


kua txob

From a syllable of unknown function kua + txob (“(in compounds) pepper”).

crushed Thai chilis used in traditional Hmong cuisine


tsov

From Proto-Hmong *tsjoᴮ (“tiger”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 祖 (MC tsuX, “ancestor”). The semantic shift from "ancestor" > "tiger" comes from the traditional Southeast Asian association and addressing of tigers as ancestors.

tsov cuam

a legendary tiger, reportedly small, swift, and with a human face


yav

yav no


noog

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *m-nɔk (“bird”). Compare Proto-Austronesian *manuk (“bird, chicken”).


dab tsuam

/da˥.t͡ʂuə̯˩̰/

a malevolent spirit, said to take the form of a jealous woman, who causes people to die in their sleep (see sudden unexpected death syndrome)


nyiam

Kuv nyiam cev tiab no.


huab

ib tau huab


thiab

koj thiab kuv


yoojyim

/ʝɒ̃˥˧.ʝi˩̰/

2010, United States Census
Yoojyim. Nws Nyabxeeb. Nws Tseemceeb.


suav

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 數 (MC srjuX|srjuH|sraewk, “to count”).

Suav txog koj tus kheej.


ntshiab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntshji̯əŋ (“clear, fresh”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 清 (MC tshjeng, “clear, quiet”) with a nasal prefix. Cognate with Proto-Hmong-Mien *tshji̯əŋ (“new”), whence tshiab (“new”), as well as possibly Old Chinese 晴 (OC *zleŋ, “clear and fine weather”).

inh

Dej ntshiab ntshiab


ntxov

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntsi̯ouX (“early”), borrowed from Old Chinese 早 (OC *ʔsuːʔ, “early”). Compare Iu Mien nziou.


ntxhw

From Proto-Hmong *ntshʉᶜ (“elephant”), probably borrowed from Proto-Lolo-Burmese *tsaŋ (“id”), the latter apparently borrowed from Proto-Tai *ɟaːŋꟲ.


ua hauj lwm

/ʔuə̯˧.hau̯˥˧.lɨ˩̰/


sib ntsib dua

/ʂi˥.ᶯd͡ʐi˥.duə̯˧/


lub phaj

lub (“classifier for round things”) + ??


pluas mov

/pˡuə̯˩.mɒ˧˦/

pluas (classifier) + mov (“cooked rice”)


rooj noj mov

/ʈɒ̃˥˧.nɒ˥˧.mɒ˧˦/


xyoo tshiab

/çɒ̃˧.t͡ʂʰiə̯˥/


Teb chaws Nplog

/te˥.cʰaɨ̯˩.ᵐbˡɒ˧˩̤/


pob ntseg

/pɒ˥.ᶯd͡ʐe˧˩̤/


kovyeej

to defeat, win, beat (win against), overcome


ntaus ntawv

/ⁿdau̯˩.ⁿdaɨ̯˧˦/


tshuab

cua tshuab tuaj.

tshuab raj


tshuab

lub tshuab ntaus ntawv

lub tshuab nias ntawv

tshuab ntuag


ncig yuav khoom

/ᶮɟi˧˩̤.ʝuə̯˧˦.kʰɒ̃˩̰/

ncig (“to encircle”) + yuav (“to buy”) + khoom (“object”), literally “to go around buying stuff”.

com

to shop, go shopping, go and buy goods from a store


ncig yuav khoom

/ᶮɟi˧˩̤.ʝuə̯˧˦.kʰɒ̃˩̰/


diav

diav nyiaj

a spoon or spoon-like object; a scooped utensil for eating or serving


diav

rau diav tshuaj


qhov

From Proto-Hmong *qhəŋᴮ (“hole”), borrowed from Old Chinese 孔 (OC *kʰloːŋʔ, “hole”).


tshaib

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tshje (“hungry”).


twb

a preverbal particle that draws attention to the state of affairs at the time


pom koj tom qab

/pɒ˩̰.kɒ˥˧.tɒ˩̰.qa˥/


dab tsi

From an element of uncertain interpretation dab + tsi (“what”).


ntses

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mbrəuX (“fish”). Cognate with Iu Mien mbiauz; outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Proto-Tai *plaːᴬ (“id”), whence Thai ปลา (bplaa, “id”).


qhov ncauj

/qʰɒ˧˦.ᶮɟau̯˥˧/


plhu

From Proto-Hmong *phl-ᶜ (“cheek, face”).

Koj plhu liab tag lawm.

Your face is red. (figuratively: You're blushing.)


pojniam

/pɒ˥˧.niə̯˩̰/


txiv neej

/t͡ɕi˧˦.nẽ˥˧/


hnyav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hnjeinX (“heavy”). Cognate with Iu Mien hniev.


menyuam

/me˧.ɲuə̯˩̰/


tuv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tɛmX. Cognate with Green Hmong tuv, Iu Mien damv.


zoov

From Proto-Hmong *-ʔrɔŋᴮ (“forest”). Note similarities to Old Chinese 林 (OC *ɡ·rɯm).


hlua

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hljaŋ (“sash, rope, cord”). Cognate with Iu Mien hlaang.


ntshav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntshjamX (“blood”). Cognate with Iu Mien nziaamv; outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *jhaam (“id”), whence Khmer ឈាម (chiəm, “id”).


nplooj

From Proto-Hmong *mblɔŋᴬ (“leaf”). Probably cognate with Proto-Mien *nɔmᴬ (“id”); compare also Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buluŋ (“medicinal herbs”) (whence Pangasinan bulong (“leaf”)), as well as Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-lap (“leaf”).


qub

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *qu̯oH (“old”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 故 (MC kuH, “old, former”). Cognate with Iu Mien gox.

lub qub zos


nyias

From Proto-Hmong *ɲenᴮ (“thin”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 姌 (MC nyemX|nemX, “slender”).


nyias

a cloth for carrying a baby on one's back, a baby carrier


nyias

Nyias muaj nyias npe.


niam

From Proto-Hmong *minᴰ (“female”). Despite phonetic similarity of the descendant forms of both Proto-Hmongic and Proto-Sinitic, likely not related to Chinese 女 (nǚ, “woman”).

(Religion) a female member of religious community


ntev

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntauX (“long”). Cognate with Iu Mien ndaauv.


txiv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pjaX (“father, male”), likely related to Chinese 父 (“father”).

(Christianity) reverend, clergy, minister


txiv

used as a prefix to form names of fruits


txoj sia

/t͡sɒ˥˧.ʂiə̯˧/


rab rawg tais

/ʈa˥.ʈaɨ̯˧˩̤.tai̯˩/


qhiav

From Proto-Hmong *qhinᴮ (“ginger”), possibly related to Old Chinese 薑 (OC *kaŋ) or 姜 (OC *klaŋ); see Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kjaŋ (“ginger”) for more.


ntxhais

From Proto-Hmong *mphjeᴰ (“daughter, girl”).


nam pa

From Lao ນ້ຳປາ (nam pā, “fish sauce”) or Thai น้ำปลา (nám-bplaa, “fish sauce”).


nplaig

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mblet (“tongue”), likely borrowed from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s/g-ljak (“to lick”). Cognate with Iu Mien mbietc. Compare Old Chinese 舌 (OC *ɦbljed, “tongue”).


xyoo

From Proto-Hmong *ɕɔŋᶜ (“year”), likely borrowed from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ni(ː)ŋ ~ s-nik (“year”); compare Old Chinese 年 (*niːŋ).


hnab tshos

/n̥a˥.t͡ʂʰɒ˩/


nco

Clipping from Thai จดจำ (jòt-jam) ("to remember", "to memorize").


tsho

shirt, jacket, coat, upper garment with sleeves

used in tsho me nyuam (“placenta, afterbirth”)


khej

Borrowed from Lao ແຂ້ (khǣ, “crocodile”); compare Thai จระเข้ (jɔɔ-rá-kêe, “id”).


qhov muag

/qʰɒ˧˦.muə̯˧˩̤/


ko taw

cog

Thai ข้อเท้า (kɔ̂ɔ-táao, “ankle”, literally “foot joint”)


qhov ntswg

/qʰɒ˧˦.ᶯd͡ʐɨ˧˩̤/


qhov ntsej

/qʰɒ˧˦.ᶯd͡ʐe˥˧/


qhov rooj

/qʰɒ˧˦.ʈɒ̃˥˧/


qhov ntxa

/qʰɒ˧˦.ⁿd͡za˧/


qhov ntev

/qʰɒ˧˦.ⁿde˧˦/


qhov rais

/qʰɒ˧˦.ʈai̯˩/


qhov dav

/qʰɒ˧˦.da˧˦/


qhov siab

/qʰɒ˧˦.ʂiə̯˥/


qhov tsos

/qʰɒ˧˦.t͡ʂɒ˩/


nplooj siab

/ᵐbˡɒ̃˥˧.ʂiə̯˥/


nplooj ntsws

/ᵐbˡɒ̃˥˧.ᶯd͡ʐɨ˩/


ntsws

From Proto-Hmong *mprʉᶜ (“lung”); possibly related to Proto-Tai *plaᴬ¹ and Proto-Kam-Sui *mprai³.

Neeg muaj ob daim ntsws sib hloov cua thaum neeg ua pa.

People have two lungs to exchange air when they breathe.

Cov neeg ntsws zoo ua pa thiab hais lus yooj yim.

People with good lungs breath and speak easily.


ntsws

Lub tsho ntsws

Neeg laus ces tawv nqaij ntsws.


nab qa

nab (“snake, worm”) + qa (“(of) lizards”).


noob qes

noob (“seed”) + qe (“egg”), with tone sandhi of the latter component, as well as possible semantic influence from qes (“low”).


nalika

From Thai นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa), from Pali nāḷikā.


yooj yim

/ʝɒ̃˥˧.ʝi˩̰/


mloog

Inherited from Proto-Hmong *mrɔŋᶜ (“to hear”), from Proto-Hmong-Mien *(S-)mru̯ɔŋH (“to listen”). Cognate with Proto-Mien *s-mru ̯ əŋᶜ (“to listen”).


muag

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mu̯ɛjH (“eye”). Compare other similar words for "eye" across East and Southeast Asia, like Old Chinese 目 (OC *muɡ, “id”), Japanese 目 (me, “id”), Vietnamese mắt (“id”), and Tagalog mata (“id”).


muag

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mɛjH (“to sell”); related to Chinese 賣／卖 (mài, “to sell”), perhaps via borrowing from the latter. See also muaj (“to have”).


muag

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mlu̯ɛjH (“soft”); compare Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ma-lumu (“soft, tender, gentle”), whence Manusela malua (“soft”). Similarities to Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus (“soft, weak”) are most likely coincidental.


toob xib

zh-l

東西／东西 (dōngxī)


toobxib

東西／东西 (dōngxī)


qaug dab peg

Literally "the spirit catches you and you fall down".


tauv

tauv huab

classifier for clouds and for clusters of fruit


tauv

tauv dej

tauv tsis taus lub kua muag


hmab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hmein (“vine”), possibly related to Old Chinese 蔓 (OC *moːn, *mons).


hmo

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hməŋH (“night”). Cognate with Iu Mien hmuangz; outside of Hmong-Mien, cognate with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-mun (“dark”) (whence Old Chinese 昏 (OC *hmɯːn, “dusk, dark”)) and *muːŋ ~ r/s-muːk (“misty; dark”) (whence 矇 (OC *moːŋ, “blind; dark”) and perhaps 冥 (OC *meːŋ, “dark; deep; underworld”)).


hlob

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hljo (“big”). Cognate with loj (“big”), Iu Mien hlo.


hlob

Tus ntxhais hlob lub npe hu ua Nplias, tus yau Maiv.

The older daughter's name is Blia, (and) the younger Mai.


nruas

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ndruX (“drum”). Cognate with Iu Mien nzox.

ntaus nruas


nyiag

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ɲemH (“to steal”). Cognate with Iu Mien nimc.


khaus

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *khju̯ɛt (“itch(y), scratch(y)”). Cognate with Iu Mien sietv.


iab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔim (“bitter”). Cognate with Iu Mien im.


ncauj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ɲɟuj (“mouth, beak”), perhaps borrowed from Old Chinese 嘴 (OC *ʔseʔ, “beak, mouth”) or otherwise related to the latter's proto-form, Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-ts(j)ul (“lip; beak”). Cognate with Iu Mien nzuih.


nqe

From Proto-Hmong *ɴqæwᶜ (“hook”), borrowed from Old Chinese 鉤 (OC *koː, “hook”).

nqe ko taw

to hook the foot (on something and stumble)


nqe

used in nqe lauj (“wooden hook to hang things on in the home”)


nqe

From Proto-Hmong *ɴqaᶜ (“price”), borrowed from Old Chinese 價 (OC *kraːs, “price”).


sij hawm

/ʂi˥˧.haɨ̯˩̰/

Borrowed from Mandarin 時候／时候 (shíhou, “time”).


xeev

From Mandarin 醒 (xǐng, “to wake up”) or Middle Chinese or Old Chinese.


rooj

From Middle Chinese 凳 (təŋᴴ) ("bench", "stool").


yaj

From Proto-Hmong *jaŋᴬ (“to dissolve, melt”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 煬 (MC yang|yangH, “to melt”).


yaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *juŋ (“sheep, goat”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 羊 (MC yang, “id”). Cognate with Western Xiangxi Miao [Fenghuang] yonf (“goat”) and Iu Mien yungh.


Ntxwg-nyoog

/ⁿd͡zɨ˧˩̤.ɲɒ̃˧˩̤/


kawg

zoo kawg nkaus

lub roob siab kawg nkaus

used in kawg nkaus (“superlative degree, most, completely”)


kawg

ib txhis tsis kawg


hauv

(in compounds) stump, base, basis, root, origin


nplej

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mbləu. Cognate with Iu Mien mbiauh.


yoov

From Proto-Hmong *ʔjɔŋᴮ (“mosquito”). Possibly cognate with Middle Chinese 蠅 (MC ying, “fly”); compare also Thai ยุง (yung, “mosquito”), Lao ຍຸງ (nyung, “id”).

a generic name for flies and other fly-like insects:


yaim

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-jep (“to lick”). Cognate with Hmong Shua jei²¹.


khau

From Proto-Hmong *khjɔᶜ (“shoes”), possibly borrowed from Middle Chinese 屨 (MC kjuH, “straw sandals”), though the Sinitic form is not aspirated.

rau khau


caj

(in compounds) used to indicate a part of the body, as if it were a ridge, bridge, or joint

caj qwb

the depression at the back or nape of the neck


ntswg

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mbruiH (“nose”). Compare also Biao-Jiao Mien bli⁶; outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Old Chinese 鼻 (OC *blids, “nose”).

kwv ntswg

to turn the nose away in disgust; nose-up, arrogant, conceited


choj

Borrowed from Mandarin 橋／桥 (qiáo) ("bridge").


noob zaub

/nɒ̃˥.ʐau̯˥/


luj

From Proto-Hmong *ljɛŋᴬ (“to measure (rice)”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 量 (MC ljang|ljangH, “quantity; to measure”).


luj

Borrowed from Chinese 騾／骡 (luó, “mule”).


luj

zh-l

轆／辘 (lù, “used in compounds to denote rolling”)


tiv

to oppose, to resist, to meet or endure opposition

tiv tshav

to "go against" sunlight (can mean both being in and avoiding sunlight)


Kalifonias

California (a state of the United States)


keeb kwm

From Mandarin 亙古／亘古 (gèngǔ) ("since ancient times"), misinterpreted as history or origin.

keeb kwm Hmoob


Misnisxaustas

Minnesota (a state of the United States)


tsheb

Borrowed from Chinese 車／车 (“car, vehicle, chariot”).


qeej

Cognate with Lao ແຄນ (khǣn), Thai แคน (kɛɛn), Khmer គែន (kɛɛn), Vietnamese khèn; all are bamboo mouth organs in Southeast Asia.

(music) Hmong reed mouth organ, also known as a lusheng


xob

From Proto-Hmong *S-phoᴬ (“thunder”), probably related to Proto-Hmong-Mien *mpuə (“id”), the latter whence Pa-Hng mo¹ (“id”).

Xob: a creature in the heavens supposedly responsible for thunder and lightning


xob

xob nyuj

xob nees


caws pliav

/caɨ̯˩.pˡiə̯˧˦/


caij

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ɟej. Cognate with Iu Mien geh.


Nyab Laj

From Middle Chinese 安南 (ʔɑn nʌm), the name for Annam, a historical name for Central Vietnam. Traditionally, the [l] and [n] were interchangeable.

(dated, colloquial) Vietnam (a country in Southeast Asia)


hma

From Proto-Hmong *hmaŋᶜ (“wild dog”). Compare Proto-Tai *ʰmaːᴬ (“dog”), whence Thai หมา (mǎa, “canine”).

refers to wild dog-like animals, such as wolves, jackals, foxes, coyotes, etc.


siab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-hri̯əŋ (“high, tall”), probably borrowed from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-raŋ (“high, long”), whence Chinese 陵 (líng, “mound, hill”) and Burmese မြင့် (mrang., “high, tall”).


siab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-hri̯ən (“liver”); possibly related to Middle Chinese 肝 (MC kan, “liver”). Note the difference in coda consonant between this and Etymology 1.


siab

(figuratively) the liver regarded as the seat of the affections and emotions (like the heart in English)


tsom iav

/t͡ʂɒ˩̰.ʔiə̯˧˦/


nqaij npuas

/ᶰɢai̯˥˧.ᵐbuə̯˩/


ntuj raug txim

/ⁿdu˥˧.ʈau̯˧˩̤.t͡ɕi˩̰/

ntuj (“sky”) + raug txim (“punishment, penalty”).

(Christianity) hell; Hades; netherworld (place of damnation)


tsis

Koj tsis mus ua si.


ntaj

From Thai ดาบ (dàap) ("sword") or Lao ດາບ (dāp) ("sword").


neev taw

/nẽ˧˦.taɨ̯˧/


kob huam

/kɒ˥.huə̯˩̰/


da dej

From Thai ดำ (dam) ("to dive") or Lao ດຳ (dam) ("to dive"), from Proto-Tai *ɗamᴬ (“to dive”) + a calque of Thai น้ำ (náam) (" water") or Lao ດຳ (dam) (" water").


tseeb

From Middle Chinese 真 (t͡ɕiɪn) ("true", "real").


txiv neeb

/t͡ɕi˧˦.nẽ˥/


liab

From Proto-Hmong *ʔlinᴬ (“monkey”), probably from Proto-Hmong-Mien *ʔbliŋ (“id”). Related to Proto-Mien *ʔbiŋᴬ (“id”); outside of Hmong-Mien, compare Proto-Tai *liːŋᴬ (“id”), whence Thai ลิง (ling, “id”).


Teb

From Middle Chinese 地 (diɪᴴ) ("land" or "field").

land; country; state (use as suffix to form names of country)


Suav Teb

/ʂuə̯˧˦.te˥/

(colloquial) any of the Chinese dynasties


Suav Teb

/ʂuə̯˧˦.te˥/


koom siab

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥/


koom siab

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥/


Fav

Borrowed from Vietnamese Pháp ("France")


Koom Siab Teb Amelika

A calque of English United States of America; equivalent koom siab ("united") + teb ("land", "state", "country") + Amelika ("America").

calque

(formal, official) United States of America (a country in North America)


Los Tsuas

/lɒ˩.t͡ʂuə̯˩/


Los Tsuas

/lɒ˩.t͡ʂuə̯˩/


Koom Siab Teb

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥.te˥/

A calque of English United States of America; equivalent koom siab ("united") + teb ("land", "state", "country").

(formal) United States of America (a country in North America)


Koom Siab Teb

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥.te˥/


tswv tsev

/t͡ʂɨ˧˦.t͡ʂe˧˦/

From Middle Chinese 主 (t͡ɕɨo^X) ("chief", "lord", "master", "owner) + tsev ("house"), literally means "Lord of the House".


Meev Teem

Borrowed from Vietnamese Miến Điện (“Myanmar”), from Mandarin 緬甸／缅甸 (Miǎndiàn).

bor+

Myanmar, Burma (a country in Southeast Asia)


Miv

From Vietnamese Mỹ ("America"), from Mandarin 美 (měi) ("America").


Vaj Tswv

/va˥˧.t͡ʂɨ˧˦/

A calque of Thai พระเจ้า (prá-jâao) or Lao Lao ພະເຈົ້າ (pha chao); vaj ("king", "royal") from Mandarin 王 + tswv from ("Mandarin 主 master, owner, chief"), together literally means "King Lord".


Vaj Tswv

/va˥˧.t͡ʂɨ˧˦/


Miv Teb

From Vietnamese Mỹ ("America") + teb from Middle Chinese 地 (diɪᴴ) ("land" or "field").

the United States (a country in North America)


tswv rooj

/t͡ʂɨ˧˦.ʈɒ̃˥˧/

From Middle Chinese 主 (t͡ɕɨo^X) ("chief", "lord", "master", "owner) + Middle Chinese 凳 (təŋᴴ) ("stool", "bench", "chair"), literally means "Lord of the Chair".

president, of a socialist republic or state


Thaib Teb

From Thai ไทย (tai) ("Thai") + teb from Middle Chinese 地 (diɪᴴ) ("land" or "field").


Fav Teb

From Vietnamese Pháp ("France") + teb from Middle Chinese 地 (diɪᴴ) ("land" or "field").


thawj

From Middle Chinese 頭 (dəu) ("head", "top", "chief")


Tswv Ntuj

/t͡ʂɨ˧˦.ⁿdu˥˧/

From Sino-Vietnamese Vietnamese Thiên Chúa, from Middle Chinese 天主 or Mandarin 天主 (Tiānzhǔ) ("Heavenly Lord"), with syllables in reverse order.


Tswv Ntuj

/t͡ʂɨ˧˦.ⁿdu˥˧/


thawj saib

/tʰaɨ̯˥˧.ʂai̯˥/

From Middle Chinese 頭 (dəu) ("head", "top", "chief") + a corrupted pronunciation of Mandarin 視／视 (shì) ("to look", to "watch", "to inspect"), literally means "presiding chief".

president, of capitalist republic or state


toj

From Vietnamese đồi ("hill", "mountain").


ntsoov

Clipping from Thai จดจำ (jòt-jam) ("to remember", "to memorize").


khawb

From Thai ขุด (kùt) ("to dig") or Lao ຂຸດ (khut) ("to dig").


nco ntsoov

/ᶮɟɒ˧.ᶯd͡ʐɒ̃˧˦/

From Thai จดจำ (jòt-jam) ("to remember", "to memorize").


nco ntsoov

/ᶮɟɒ˧.ᶯd͡ʐɒ̃˧˦/


txha

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tshuŋX (“bone”). Peiros suggests a relation with Proto-Mon-Khmer *cʔaaŋ ~ *cʔaiŋ (“bone”), whence Vietnamese xương (“bone, skeleton”); however, there are phonetic issues due to the presence of labial initials in Mienic forms.


xiav

From Vietnamese xanh ("grue", "blue", or "green"), with loss of nasal final, from Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Middle Chinese 青 (t͡sʰeŋ) ("grue", "blue", or "green").


qav kaws

From qav (“frog”) + an element of uncertain interpretation kaws.


pob txha

pob (“set”) + txha (“bone”). Possibly cognate with Vietnamese bộ xương (“skeleton, bone”).


qav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *KæŋX (“frog”). Compare Proto-Austronesian *keŋkeŋ (“frog; hollow sound”), whence Ilocano keŋkéŋ (“big-bellied toad that croaks at night”).


tshoj

suffix added to form names of Chinese dynasties


Viaj Naab

/vi̯ə˥˧.nã˥/


Viaj Naab

/vi̯ə˥˧.nã˥/


Xov Tshoj

/sɒ˧˦.t͡ʂʰɒ˥˧/

From Mandarin 小朝 ("Lesser Dynasty"), according to the Chinese cultural and historical sphere of influence, i.e. a metaphor for Vietnam. In contrast to Tuam Tshoj (大朝, "Greater Dynasty"), i.e. China.

(archaic) Vietnam (a country in Southeast Asia)


Xov Tshoj

/sɒ˧˦.t͡ʂʰɒ˥˧/


Hmoob Leeg

/m̥ɒ̃˥.lẽ˧˩̤/

(slang, colloquial) Green Hmong, to distinguish from other Hmong people or language


Hmoob Leeg

/m̥ɒ̃˥.lẽ˧˩̤/


xav

Borrowed from Chinese 想 (xiǎng, “to think”).

Kuv tsis xav mus.

Kuv xav tsis mus.

to think, to wish, to desire, to want to


xav

Borrowed from Lao ສັກ (sak, “injection”).


me nyuam

/me˧.ɲuə̯˩̰/


poj niam

/pɒ˥˧.niə̯˩̰/


hu ua

Kuv poj niam lub npe hu ua Mos.


nyob

From Proto-Hmong *ʔɲəŋᴬ (“to be at, to live”). Related to Proto-Hmong *jəŋᶜ (“to be”) (whence yog (“to be”)), as well as probably Proto-Mien *ʔjəmᴬ (“to be at, to live”).


nyeem

Borrowed from Chinese 念 (niàn, “to read, recite”).


xeem

Borrowed from Chinese 姓 (xìng, “surname”).

Kuv yog Npis, xeem Vaj.


xeem

Borrowed from Chinese 賽／赛 (sài, “to compete, race”)

xeem ntawv

xeem dab

xeem tsheb


tsawb

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 蕉 (t͡siᴇu, “banana”).

Lub txiv tsawb zoo heev.


yog

From Proto-Hmong *jəŋᶜ (“to be”). Related to Proto-Hmong *ʔɲəŋᴬ (“to be at, to live”) (whence nyob (“to be at, to live”), as well as probably Proto-Mien *ʔjəmᴬ (“to be at, to live”).


hluas nkauj

/l̥uə̯˩.ᵑɡau̯˥˧/


hluas nraug

/l̥uə̯˩.ᶯɖau̯˧˩̤/

Nws tseem yog hluas nraug tsis tau muaj poj niam.

He is still a single guy without a wife.

Tus hluas nkauj muaj ib tug hluas nraug lawm.


nraug

From Proto-Hmong *ndru̯eiᶜ (“young man”).


nkauj

a young unmarried female (classifier: tus)


nkawv

third person dual pronoun: they (two), the two of them


niam txiv

/niə̯˩̰.t͡ɕi˧˦/


niam hluas

/niə̯˩̰.l̥uə̯˩/

a friendly term of address for an older female to call a younger female


tij laug

older brother, elder brother, big brother


niam laus

/niə̯˩̰.l̥uə̯˩/

a friendly term of address for a younger female to call an older female


cov

classifier for groups and plurals: a class, group, kind, bunch

cov tsheb


kwv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ku̯eiX (“younger brother”). Possibly related to Chinese 哥 (gē, “older brother”), though the details are unclear, particularly why the age relationships between the Hmong-Mien terms (kwv and tij) are opposite to those of Sinitic (弟 (dì) and 哥 (gē)).


khoom

Borrowed from Lao ຂອງ (khǭng, “thing, object”).


khoom

Kuv tsis khoom ua.


hwj txob

/hɨ˥˧.t͡sɒ˥/


ntsev

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntsjəuX (“salt”).


kuaj xyuas

/kuə̯˥˧.çuə̯˩/


ncuav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ŋkjuəX (“rice cake”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 粔 (MC gjoX, “rice cake”).


hli

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hlaH (“moon, month”), borrowed from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s/g-la (“id”). Compare Old Chinese 夕 (OC *ljaːɡ, “evening”), Tibetan ཟླ་བ (zla ba, “moon, month”).


pauv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-peiX (“soybean”).


taum mog

/tau̯˩̰.mɒ˧˩̤/


pab cuam

Borrowed from Chinese 幫助／帮助 (bāngzhù, “help”).


zaub paj

zaub (“vegetable”) + paj (“flower”), literally “flowery vegetable”.


zaub qhwv

/ʐau̯˥.qʰɨ˧˦/

zaub (“vegetable”) + qhwv (“to wrap”), literally “wrapped vegetable”.


zaub paj ntsuab

/ʐau̯˥.pa˥˧.ᶯd͡ʐuə̯˥/

zaub paj (“cauliflower”) + ntsuab (“green”).


zaub ntug

/ʐau̯˥.ⁿdu˧˩̤/


zaub ntug daj

zaub ntug (“root vegetable”) + daj (“yellow”).


tauj dub

tauj (“coarse grass”) + dub (“black”), literally “black grass”.


tauj qaib

tauj (“coarse grass”) + qaib (“chicken”), literally “chicken grass”, as lemongrass is often cooked with chicken in Hmong cuisine.


xyoob

Probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 筍 (MC swinX, “bamboo shoots”).


ntsuab

From Proto-Hmong *mpruᴬ (“green, blue”); possibly related to Proto-Mien *ʔmeŋᴬ (“id”) and *ʔbɔuᴮ (“gray”).


zaub xav lav

zaub + English salad, literally “salad greens”.


taub dag

taub (“gourd”) + dag (“tone variant of daj (“yellow”)”), literally “yellow gourd”.

tone variant of <i class="Latn mention" lang="mww">daj</i> (“yellow”)


kws

Probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 穀 (MC kuwk, “grain, cereal”).


qhwv

From Proto-Hmong *qhuᴮ (“to pack, wrap”), possibly borrowed from Old Chinese 裹 (OC *kloːlʔ, *kloːls, “to wrap”).


txob

Borrowed from Chinese 椒 (jiāo, “pepper”).


qej

From Proto-Hmong *ɢaᴬ (“garlic”), borrowed from Old Chinese 葫 (OC *qʰaː, *ɡaː, “gourd”).


lauj pwm

Borrowed from Chinese 蘿蔔／萝卜 (luóbo, “radish, tuber”).


qos yaj ywm

/qɒ˩.ʝa˥˧.ʝɨ˩̰/

qos (“tuber”) + Chinese 洋芋 (yángyù, “potato”), literally “western-taro tuber”.


ntug

the light of day, bright day, morning (the time when daylight appears)


ntug

Qos ntug loj heev.

(of tubers and roots only) to grow, to enlarge


zaub ntug hauv paus

zaub ntug (“root vegetable”) + hauv paus (“stump, base, root”).


txiv plab nyug

/t͡ɕi˧˦.pˡa˥.ɲu˧˩̤/

txiv (“fruit”) + plab (“stomach”) + nyug (“cow”), due to the shape of the fruit.


xim kab ntxwv

/ɕi˩̰.ka˥.ⁿd͡zɨ˧˦/


txiv kab ntxwv loj

/t͡ɕi˧˦.ka˥.ⁿd͡zɨ˧˦.lɒ˥˧/

txiv (“fruit”) + kab ntxwv (“orange”) + loj (“big”), literally “big orange”.


kab ntxwv

Borrowed from Chinese 柑子 (gānzi, “mandarin orange, tangerine”).


txiv maj phaub

txiv (“fruit”) + Lao ໝາກພ້າວ (māk phāo, “coconut”); see Thai หมากพร้าว (màak-práao, “id”) for more.


txiv kab ntxwv

/t͡ɕi˧˦.ka˥.ⁿd͡zɨ˧˦/


txiv pos nphuab

/t͡ɕi˧˦.pɒ˩.ᵐpʰuə̯˥/

txiv (“fruit”) + pos nphuab (“a kind of thorn”).


txiv pos liab

/t͡ɕi˧˦.pɒ˩.liə̯˥/

txiv (“fruit”) + pos (“thorn”) + liab (“red”).


txiv cawv

/t͡ɕi˧˦.caɨ̯˧˦/

txiv (“fruit”) + cawv (“wine, fermented drink”).


quav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-KəjX (“excrement”), possibly of imitative-expressive origin; see Proto-Indo-European *kakka- (“to defecate”) for possible explanations of the sound symbolism.


pos nphuab

/pɒ˩.ᵐpʰuə̯˥/

pos (“thorn”) + an element of uncertain interpretation nphuab.


txiv duaj

/t͡ɕi˧˦.duə̯˥˧/

com

txiv (“fruit”) + Chinese 桃 (táo, “peach”)


txiv kab ntxwv qaub

txiv (“fruit”) + kab ntxwv (“orange”) + qaub (“sour”), literally “sour orange”.


txiv maj naus

txiv (“fruit”) + Lao ໝາກນາວ (māk nāo, “lemon”); see Thai มะนาว (má-naao, “id”) for more.


txiv ev paum

/t͡ɕi˧˦.ʔe˧˦.pau̯˩̰/


txiv quav miv

/t͡ɕi˧˦.quə̯˧˦.mi˧˦/

txiv (“fruit”) + quav (“feces”) + miv (“cat”), as the tamarind fruit's shape resembles that of cat poop.


txiv lws zoov

/t͡ɕi˧˦.lɨ˩.ʐɒ̃˧˦/

txiv (“fruit”) + lws (“eggplant (rounded vegetable or fruit)”) + zoov (“forest, jungle”).


cawv

From Proto-Hmong *cowᴮ (“liquor”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 酒 (MC tsjuwX, “liquor”).

alcoholic beverage, liquor, whiskey, beer, wine


txiv maj mib

txiv (“fruit”) + a compound of unclear origin maj mib.


txiv lws suav

/t͡ɕi˧˦.lɨ˩.ʂuə̯˧˦/

txiv (“fruit”) + lws (“eggplant”) + suav (“Chinese”), literally “Chinese eggplant-fruit”, as tomatoes were presumably introduced to Hmongic tribes by Sinitic peoples (perhaps merchants). Alternatively, the suav may be borrowed from Chinese 西 (xī, “west”); compare Chinese 西紅柿／西红柿 (xīhóngshì, “tomato”).


txuj ci

ltc-l

組織 (MC tsuX tsyiH|tsyik, “organization”)

principle, method, way of doing things, plan


ntsej muag

/ᶯd͡ʐe˥˧.muə̯˧˩̤/

ntsej (“ear”) + muag (“eye”), literally “ears and eyes”, being defining parts of the face.
The "contemptible being" meaning appears to be a metonymic semantic shift, as a "being who still shows one's face despite having lost face".

com

(mildly derogatory?) shameless contemptible being


txhais

ib txhais tes

Kuv txhais khau ntuag lawm.

classifier for things associated with the above


txhais

txhais tsis tau


txhais

Rooj ntxiab txhais raug ib tug nas.

(of a trap) to trigger, spring, snap, go off


ntiv

From Proto-Hmong *ntaᴮ (“finger”). Related to Proto-Mien *ʔdokᴰ (“id”), though the details are unclear due to different tone reflexes.


ntiv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntik (“to flip with finger”).


ntseg

Alternative form of ntsej (“ear”) under tone sandhi


ntseg

From Proto-Hmong *ndzjæwᶜ (“vertical, upright”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 直 (MC drik, “straight, vertical”).

ntseg ntsos

up and straight from bottom to top; fixed, steady

Tus ncej ntseg.

Sawv ntseg.

vertically straight, upright, erect, steep (of a roof)


dab teg

dab (“neck”) + tes (“hand”), with tone sandhi of the tes.


hnyuv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hɲeuŋX (“intestines”).

intestines, guts, intestine-like objects


hnyuv dub

hnyuv + dub, literally “black intestine”, owing to the large intestine's darker color than that of the small intestine.


hnyuv dawb

/ɲ̊u˧˦.daɨ̯˥/

hnyuv + dawb, literally “white intestine”, owing to the small intestine's lighter color than that of the large intestine.


hnyuv ntxwm

/ɲ̊u˧˦.ⁿd͡zɨ˩̰/

hnyuv (“intestine”) + a second element of unknown interpretation ntxwm.


ncej puab

/ᶮɟe˥˧.puə̯˥/


hlwb

From Proto-Hmong *hlʉᴬ (“marrow, brains”); cognate with Old Chinese 髓 (OC *slolʔ, “marrow”).


dab taws

dab (“neck”) + taw (“foot”), with tone sandhi of the taw.


paj hlwb

paj (“flower”) + hlwb (“marrow”), literally “marrow-flower”.


hniav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hmjinX (“tooth”).


thooj

zoo tsis thooj


thooj

zh-l

筒 (tǒng, “pipe; section of thick bamboo”)

used in yeeb thooj (“bong; smoking pipe”)


xub pwg

Alternative form of xwb pwg (“shoulder”)


puab tsaig

/puə̯˥.t͡ʂai̯˧˩̤/


qaum

From Proto-Hmong *ɢuwᴰ (“back (of body)”). Note similarities to Old Chinese 後 (OC *ɢoːʔ, *ɢoːs, “back; after”).

kwj qaum

the "valley" or depression of the backbone region

nraub qaum

the back, the region of the back between the shoulders and above the waist


puab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *pæ (“molar tooth”).


puab

Nws muab av puab coj los ua ib tug nlom.

Puab ua ncuav.


puab

Plig puab cev.

to remain in close relationship with something


tsev me nyuam

/t͡ʂe˧˦.me˧.ɲuə̯˩̰/


hauv siab

/hau̯˧˦.ʂiə̯˥/

hauv (“root, origin”) + siab (“liver”), denoting the area in and around the liver.


ntiv taw xoo

/ⁿdi˧˦.taɨ̯˧.sɒ̃˧/


plaub muag

/pˡau̯˥.muə̯˧˩̤/


hauv pliaj

/hau̯˧˦.pˡiə̯˥˧/


phooj ywg

/pʰɒ̃˥˧.ʝɨ˧˩̤/

Borrowed from Chinese 朋友 (péngyou, “friend”).


duab

Tsom iav ces koj pom koj tus duab.

Looking at the mirror you will see your reflection (or your double).

Hauv tej ntawv xov xwm lawv tso cov duab rau neeg saib.

In the newspaper, they have pictures for people to look at.

image, graphic, picture, reflection, shape


siab ncaj

/ʂiə̯˥.ᶮɟa˥˧/

morally honest and upright, morally straight, righteous


tu siab

tu (“to snap, break apart”) + siab (“liver”).

com

sad, gloomy, glum, miserable, moody, dour, heartbroken, depressed


nkag siab

/ᵑɡa˧˩̤.ʂiə̯˥/

nkag (“to crawl, go beneath”) + siab (“liver”), literally “to enter the liver (metaphorical heart)”.

Koj puas nkag siab?


rau siab

/ʈau̯˧.ʂiə̯˥/

rau (“to put, place”) + siab (“liver”), literally “put one's liver”.

to apply oneself, persevere, persist, put effort, focus


siab luv

/ʂiə̯˥.lu˧˦/


siab luv

/ʂiə̯˥.lu˧˦/


siab ntev

/ʂiə̯˥.ⁿde˧˦/


siab ntev

/ʂiə̯˥.ⁿde˧˦/


ncaj

From Proto-Hmong *ɲci̯aŋᴬ (“straight”), probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 正 (MC tsyeng|tsyengH, “straight, correct”).


nthuav

From Proto-Hmong *nthu̯aᴮ (“to open out, undo”). Despite superficial similarity, probably not related to Middle Chinese 展 (MC trjenX, “to unfold, stretch”).

inh

muab lub siab nthuav ntxeev


txiav

Likely borrowed from Middle Chinese 剪 (MC tsjenX, “to cut”).


ntais

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *NKʷet (“to have a gap”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 缺 (MC khwet|khjwiet, “to lack”), with irregular phonetic development of the onset "*NKʷet-" > "ɴqʷ-" > "ɴql-" > "nd-" > "nt-".


nkhaus

From Proto-Hmong *ŋkhuwᴰ (“crooked”); compare Middle Chinese 曲 (MC khjowk, “to bend; crooked”), Tibetan འགུགས ('gugs, “id”), and Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buŋkuk (“id”), though the tone in Hmongic suggests a final *-p or *-t, rather than a *-k.


tshiab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *tshji̯əŋ (“new”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 清 (MC tshjeng, “clear, quiet”). Cognate with Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntshji̯əŋ (“clear”), whence ntshiab (“clear”).

lub tsev tshiab tshiab


siab ceev

/ʂiə̯˥.cẽ˧˦/

quick-tempered, hot-tempered, prone to anger


npau suav

/ᵐbau̯˧.ʂuə̯˧˦/

From npau (“dream”) + an element of uncertain interpretation suav.

ua npau suav


xu siab

undesirable, unlikeable, gross, being a turn-off


raug siab

/ʈau̯˧˩̤.ʂiə̯˥/

From raug (“to encounter, hit the mark”) + siab (“liver”), literally “to hit the liver”.


ceev

Borrowed from Chinese 緊／紧 (jǐn, “tight”).

Cov niam niam no nyiam hnav ris tsho ceev.

Young women nowadays like to wear tight clothes.

Teb chaws ceev ceev.


raug

From Proto-Hmong *drɔᶜ (“to hit a target”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 著 (MC drjo|trjoX|trjoH|trjak|drjak, “to touch, be attached”).

ltc-l

to incur, to suffer or be afflicted with

sib raug zoo

to have fellowship, to be united in heart

Koj yuav sij raug me ntsis.


raug

raug mob

to suffer pain or illness; a wound, injury


ncig

周 (MC tsyuw, “to encircle; whole, complete”)

Hmab ncig ntoo.


ncig

ua ib ncig


siab nyias

/ʂiə̯˥.ɲiə̯˩/


siab kaj

/ʂiə̯˥.ka˥˧/


kaj siab

/ka˥˧.ʂiə̯˥/

with a refreshed, secure heart or spirit


chim siab

/cʰi˩̰.ʂiə̯˥/


kho siab

/kʰɒ˧.ʂiə̯˥/


txaj muag

/t͡sa˥˧.muə̯˧˩̤/


npau

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mpu̯æiH (“to boil (intransitive)”), borrowed from Old Chinese 沸 (OC *pɯds, “to boil”).

inh

Dej npau npau.


npau

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *mpeiH (“dream”); compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *mp[ɔ]ʔ (“id”) (whence Mon [script needed] (kəpɔʔ, “id”)), Proto-Austronesian *Sipi (“id”) (whence Malay mimpi (“id”)).


poob

From Proto-Hmong *pʉŋᴬ (“to fall”), probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 崩 (MC pong, “to collapse, crumble”).

Me nyuam poob ntoo.

Nws poob nyiaj rau kev twv txiaj.

Nws poob hoob.


nphau

Roob nphau los.

The mountain slid down. (lit. 'The mountain tipped over.')


nphau

dej nphau nphwv

nrig nphau

of persons or animals turning over on the back; of a backflip

siab nphau

having lost mental or physical composure; very angry


txaj

From Proto-Hmong *dzaŋᴬ (“ashamed”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 慚 (MC dzam, “ashamed, embarrassed”).


txaj

txaj pw

txaj tsev


hnia

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hmji̯əmH (“to sniff at”), likely related to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-nam (“to smell”), whence Tibetan སྣོམ་པ (snom pa, “to smell”) and Chinese 聞／闻 (wén, “to smell; to hear”). The "kiss" meaning is a semantic extension of the original "sniff" meaning.

cog

to sniff at, to smell something intentionally

Kuv xav hnia koj.


paj ntaub

paj (“flower”) + ntaub (“cloth”), literally “flower cloth”.


siv ceeb

From siv (“sash, belt”) + a second element of unknown interpretation ceeb.

a sivceeb: a variegated headband traditionally worn by Hmong women around the phuam (the traditional Hmong turban)


hnab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hnɔn (“grain head, bag”); possibly related to Old Chinese 囊 (OC *naːŋ, “sack, bag”), which, if related, borrowed only the derived "bag" sense from Hmong-Mien rather than the "head of grain" sense.


muas txwv

/muə̯˩.t͡sɨ˧˦/


ntxhua

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntshuH (“to wash laundry, launder”).

ntxhua khaub ncaws

to scrub, to wash by scrubbing or pressing


muas lwj

/muə̯˩.lɨ˥˧/

Borrowed from Chinese 馬鹿／马鹿 (mǎlù, “red deer”).


phuam

Borrowed from Chinese 帕 (pà, “headscarf; to wrap”).

(specifically) the black cloth headdress worn by Hmong women as a kind of turban


nyiaj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ɲʷi̯ən (“silver”), borrowed from Middle Chinese 銀 (MC ngin, “silver”).


khaub ncaws

/kʰau̯˥.ᶮɟaɨ̯˩/

hnav khaub ncaws

coj khaub ncaws
coj khaub ncaws#White_Hmong

used in coj khaub ncaws (“to menstruate”)


mos txwv

/mɒ˩.t͡sɨ˧˦/

com+

compound of mos (“fine (like flour), small, tender”) + Chinese 子 (zǐ, “diminutive suffix”)


khaub

Probably borrowed from Chinese 交 (jiāo, “to cross, intersect”).

used in khaub lig (“to cross, intertwine; a cross”)


khaub

khaub nplawm qhov muag

hit in the eye by a branch or stick (literally, “the branch hits the eye”)

used in khaub ruab, khaub rhuab (“broom”)


khaub

(used in compounds) cover, shell, protective (outer) layer

khaub hnab

a small stuffed ball covered with cloth used in ball games


hlab nyiaj

/l̥a˥.ɲiə̯˥˧/

a traditional sash decorated with hanging silver coins


hlab

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *hljaŋ (“sash, cord, rope”), possibly borrowed from Old Chinese 繩 (OC *ɦbljɯŋ, “string, cord”).


hlab

hlab ntxhoo

the embroidered ends of a Hmong woman's apron sash


hlab

From Proto-Hmong *hlaŋᴬ (“to scald”), borrowed from Old Chinese 湯 (OC *l̥ʰaːŋ, *l̥ʰaːŋs, *hljaŋ, “hot liquid”).


zoo nkauj

/ʐɒ̃˧.ᵑɡau̯˥˧/


xaws

to sew (clothing, etc.), to fasten by sewing


nyuaj

Borrowed from Lao ຍາກ (nyāk, “difficult”).


tiam sis

/tiə̯˩̰.ʂi˩/

Kuv xav mus tiam sis tsis muaj nyiaj.

I would like to go but haven't got the money.


qhia

Thov koj qhia kuv.

Txhob qhia kuv!


kawm

Borrowed from Chinese 考 (kǎo, “to study; to consider; to check”).


kawm

Nws ris ib lub kawm loj loj mus teb lawm.

He went to the fields carrying a large basket.

a traditional back basket for carrying objects


cev tiab

cev (“body”) + tiab (“skirt”), literally “body skirt”.


tsho loj

/t͡ʂʰɒ˧.lɒ˥˧/

tsho (“shirt”) + loj (“big, large”), literally “large shirt”.


ris tsho

/ʈi˩.t͡ʂʰɒ˧/

ris (“pants”) + tsho (“shirt”), literally “pants and shirt”.


tsho tiv nag

/t͡ʂʰɒ˧.ti˧˦.na˧˩̤/


tsho tiv no

/t͡ʂʰɒ˧.ti˧˦.nɒ˧/


tsho me nyuam

/t͡ʂʰɒ˧.me˧.ɲuə̯˩̰/


hnav

From Proto-Hmong *hnaŋᴮ (“perilla”). Note similarities to Burmese နှမ်း (hnam:, “sesame”).

refers to certain kinds of grains and seeds:

noob hnav


hnav

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *(h)naŋX (“to put on, wear (clothes)”).

inh

hnav ris tsho


nqa

Koj nqa ib lub hnab nyiaj.

to lift with the hand, to carry in the hand or hands, to hold in the hand, take in the hand


raug nqi

/ʈau̯˧˩̤.ᶰɢi˧/


pes tsawg

/pe˩.t͡ʂaɨ̯˧˩̤/

From an element of uncertain interpretation pes (which is perhaps used in its "post-verbal intensifier" sense) + tsawg (“few”).

Koj yuav pes tsawg tus?


pheej yig

/pʰẽ˥˧.ʝi˧˩̤/

Borrowed from Chinese 便宜 (piányi, “cheap; advantage”).


tsawg

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *dzjok (“few; to lack”).

Amelikas tsev neeg tsawg dua Hmoob.

American families are smaller than Hmong (families).

used in pes tsawg (“how many?, how much?”)


nkawm

ib nkawm khau


thom khwm

/tʰɒ˩̰.kʰɨ˩̰/

Borrowed from Chinese 套 (tào, “to cover, sheath; a suit”) + 褲／裤 (kù, “trousers, pants”), interpreted in Hmong as a fixed compound meaning "leggings".


luav

From Proto-Hmong *ʔljuᴮ (“rabbit”). The "donkey" sense is apparently connected to the "rabbit" sense (perhaps owing to donkeys and rabbits both having similarly-shaped ears), along with Chinese 騾／骡 (luó, “mule”) (and perhaps 驢／驴 (lǘ, “donkey”)), though the internal details are unclear.


twm

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 特 (MC dok, “bull, ox”).

tus twm nyob hauv liaj


twm

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 讀 (MC duwk, “to read, recite texts”).

Ob tug menyuam tabtom twm ib phau ntawv.


twm

zh-l

獨行／独行 (dúxíng, “to walk alone, do one's own thing”)

twm tswb

a single wild boar (which keeps to itself)

used in twm xeeb (“impatient, self-absorbed, narrow-minded”)


dab neeg

com+

compound of dab (“spirit”) + neeg (“person”)


Suav

Probably borrowed from Chinese 夏 (xià, “Xia”), referring to the Xia dynasty of ancient China. An alternative theory derives the term from Chinese 華／华 (huá, “Chinese”).


yoov mos ntsuab

/ʝɒ̃˧˦.mɒ˩.ᶯd͡ʐuə̯˥/


yoov tshaj cum

/ʝɒ̃˧˦.t͡ʂʰa˥˧.cu˩̰/

From yoov (“fly, gnat”) + a disyllabic tshaj cum (“tall and thin; slight in build”), whose constituent syllables are of unknown interpretation.


ntsaum

From Proto-Hmong *mbrɔᴰ (“ant”), an areal word shared with Khmer ស្រមោច (srɑɑmaoc, “id”), Thai มด (mót, “id”), Malay semut (“id”).

ntsaum nab

a kind of large black ant with a powerful and painful stinger

ntsaum qaub

sour ant; a species of larger red ant whose adults have a sour taste and who web mango leaves together for shelter


nkawj

cog

Burmese နကျယ်ကောင် (na.kyaikaung, “wasp”)


nas tsuag

/na˩.t͡ʂuə̯˧˩̤/


nas ncuav

/na˩.ᶮɟuə̯˧˦/

From nas (“rodent”) + an element of uncertain interpretation ncuav.


qwj

From Proto-Hmong *ɢʉᴬ (“snail”), likely borrowed from Middle Chinese 蝸 (MC kwea|kwae, “id”). Compare also Proto-Mien *kʷlejᴬ (“id”), *klu̯eiᴬ/ᴮ (“id”).


ntxhuav

/ⁿt͡sʰuə̯˧˦/

pob zeb tuaj ntxhuav


ntxhuav

/ⁿt͡sʰuə̯˧˦/


puav

Probably borrowed from Middle Chinese 蝠 (MC pjuwk, “bat”).


puav

lub puav txiv tsawb

Puav npua los.

used in puav pheej (“an article of evidence”)


laib

txhom laib muag tshuaj


tsuag

From Proto-Hmong *dzjæᶜ (“bland, tasteless”).

saltless, flatin taste, flavorless, bland


tsuag

to forcibly expel liquid from a small opening or from the mouth


loj leeb

neeg loj leeb


loj leeb

Tus liab ua loj leeb tas li.


tsov ntxhuav

/t͡ʂɒ˧˦.ⁿt͡sʰuə̯˧˦/

tsov (“tiger”) + ntxhuav (“hairy, mossy”), literally “furry tiger”, owing to the lion's bushy mane. Not related to Chinese 獅子／狮子 (shīzi, “lion”), despite superficial similarities.


xob laim

xob (“thunder creature Xob”) + laim (“lightning”), literally “Xob flashes”.


xob quaj

/sɒ˥.quə̯˥˧/

xob (“thunder creature Xob”) + quaj (“to cry”), literally “Xob cries out”.


cua daj cua dub

cua (“wind”) + daj (“yellow”) + cua (“wind”) + dub (“black”), literally “yellow wind black wind”.


tshav ntuj

/t͡ʂʰa˧˦.ⁿdu˥˧/


pos huab

From an element of uncertain interpretation pos + huab (“cloud, fog”).


zaj sawv

/ʐa˥˧.ʂaɨ̯˧˦/

zaj (“dragon”) + sawv (“to rise”), literally “the dragon rises”.


sawv

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *sjouX (“to stand, get up”).


ntuj

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ndɛuŋ (“sky, heaven”).

huab nyob saum ntuj


ntuj

ib ntuj hluav taws

a great expanse of fire, a conflagration

classifier for something of vast expanse as the heavens


li cas

Qhov no hais li cas?

Tsis ua li cas.

It doesn't matter (lit. It doesn't do (any)how.)


tshav

cog

Khmer ភ្លឺ (phlɨɨ, “to shine; daybreak”)

the light of the heavens, sunlight, moonlight


tshav

Lub ntuj tshav lawm.


tshav

lub tshav ua si

tshav dav hlau

Lawv mus ua si nram lub tshav ncaws pob.

They went to play in the football field.


tshav

tshav quav nplej

to beat down grain stubble in the field in preparation for burning it off

tshav ntoo

lub tshav

Nws mus tshav tsog tsuag.

He made unintended contact with wild spirits.

to touch by accident, make unintended contact


thaum twg

/tʰau̯˩̰.tɨ˧˩̤/

Koj yuav mus thaum twg?


sawv ntxov

/ʂaɨ̯˧˦.ⁿd͡zɒ˧˦/


thaum

Thaum kuv nyob hauv tsev nws pheej tsis tuaj.


twg

Nws nyiam yam twg?


diav rawg

/diə̯˧˦.ʈaɨ̯˧˩̤/

diav (“spoon”) + rawg (“chopsticks”), literally “choptick-spoon”, as a fork resembles a spoon, but with chopstick-like prongs at its end.


hnub ntseg

/n̥u˥.ᶯd͡ʐe˧˩̤/


hnub qaij

hnub (“sun”) + qaij (“slant”), literally “the sun declining”.


tsaus ntuj

late evening, night (roughly 7 PM - 12 AM)


tsaus ntuj zuag

/t͡ʂau̯˩.ⁿdu˥˧.ʐuə̯˧˩̤/

tsaus ntuj (“late evening”) + zuag (“dim, dark”).

evening, dusk (roughly 6 PM - 7 PM); the part of the evening where it is getting dark, but where one can still see people in natural lighting


ib tag hmo

/ʔi˥.ta˧˩̤.m̥ɒ˧/

ib (“one”) + tas (“half (of day)”) + hmo (“night”), with tone sandhi of the tas.


tsaus

tsaus tsaus li

Lub qab daus tsaus heev.


zuag

zuag cwm mem


tsaib ub

tsaib (“last year”) + ub (“distant past; extreme limit”).


tag los

tag (“completed”) + los (“to come back”).


ob hlis ntuj

/ʔɒ˥.l̥i˩.ⁿdu˥˧/


kaum ob

/kau̯˩̰.ʔɒ˥/


as thiv

Borrowed from Lao ອາທິດ (ʼā thit, “week”).


kawm ntawv

/kaɨ̯˩̰.ⁿdaɨ̯˧˦/


lwm

Borrowed from Chinese 另 (lìng, “another; also”).


lwm

used in lwm qaib (“to swing a live chicken over the head of a wife on bringing her into her husband's home”)


tsaib

used in nouns pertaining to the year or years previous


lawm

Borrowed from Chinese 了 (le, “perfective marker”).

mus teb lawm

Peb mus lawm.

We are going (i.e. the start of our departure has been accomplished).

perfective marker, sign of completed action or past tense


ntej

Koj ua ntej.

before in time or location, previous, ahead


nram ntej

/ᶯɖa˩̰.ⁿde˥˧/

nram (“at, down, lower area”) + ntej (“fore, front”).


nram ntej

/ᶯɖa˩̰.ⁿde˥˧/


pw tsaug zog

/pɨ˧.t͡ʂau̯˧˩̤.ʐɒ˧˩̤/

pw (“to lie down”) + tsaug zog (“asleep, sleepy”).


tsaug zog

/t͡ʂau̯˧˩̤.ʐɒ˧˩̤/

tsaug (“numb, weak”) + zog (“strength”).

tsaug tsaug zog li


hlais

From Proto-Hmong *hlep (“to slice”), likely related to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-lep (“to slice”), whence Bodo (India) [script needed] (léb, “to cut off with one stroke”).

cog

hlais nqaij

to cut, to slice, to cut with a slicing motion


ua tsaug

/ʔuə̯˧.t͡ʂau̯˧˩̤/

to thank, to show gratitude, to appreciate


ua tsaug

/ʔuə̯˧.t͡ʂau̯˧˩̤/


tsaug

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *N-dzjeiH (“porcupine”).

txoj kab tsaug

a porcupine, especially a large long-quilled one


tsaug

tsaug tsaug leeg li


tsaug

to wash by shaking something in water (e.g. vegetables)


paj lug

From paj (“flower”) + lus (“speech, words”), with tone change.


tshuaj yej

/t͡ʂʰuə̯˥˧.ʝe˥˧/