dub

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


laus

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


zoo

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


kim

From Middle Chinese 貴 (kjw+jᴴ, “expensive”)


mos

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

inh

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

Lus mos lus tuaj pos.


dav

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


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).


sib

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

Lub hnab sib.


deb

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


leeg

From Middle Chinese 藍 (lam, “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.


kub

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

inh

hluav taws kub

used figuratively to describe earnestness, "hot-hearted"


no

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

inh+

No no li.


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


kho

lonely, melancholy, filled with longing and nostalgia, homesick


loj

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


Hmoob

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


tob

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


yau

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

Nws yau koj.

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


ub

pem ub

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


daj

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


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.


qab

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


hluas

hluas nkauj, hluas nraug


Hmoob Dawb

/m̥ɒ̃˥.daɨ̯˥/


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.


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".


yoojyim

/ʝɒ̃˥˧.ʝi˩̰/

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


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


tshaib

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


ntev

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


hnyav

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


nyias

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


qub

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

lub qub zos


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.


yooj yim

/ʝɒ̃˥˧.ʝi˩̰/


hlob

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

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

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


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.


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”).


tseeb

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


kob huam

/kɒ˥.huə̯˩̰/


Miv Teb

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


Suav Teb

/ʂuə̯˧˦.te˥/

(colloquial) any of the Chinese dynasties


Meev Teem

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


Thaib Teb

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


Los Tsuas

/lɒ˩.t͡ʂuə̯˩/


Fav Teb

From Vietnamese Pháp (“France”) + teb from Middle Chinese 地 (dijᴴ, “land, field”).


Fav

Borrowed from Vietnamese Pháp (“France”).


Miv

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


koom siab

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥/


Koom Siab Teb

/kɒ̃˩̰.ʂiə̯˥.te˥/

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


thawj

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


pob txha

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


xiav

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


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.


Viaj Naab

/vi̯ə˥˧.nã˥/


Hmoob Leeg

/m̥ɒ̃˥.lẽ˧˩̤/

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


nraug

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


ntsuab

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


kab ntxwv

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


xim kab ntxwv

/ɕi˩̰.ka˥.ⁿd͡zɨ˧˦/


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)


thooj

zoo tsis thooj


tu siab

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

com

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


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-".


siab ntev

/ʂiə̯˥.ⁿde˧˦/


siab luv

/ʂiə̯˥.lu˧˦/


ncaj

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


siab ncaj

/ʂiə̯˥.ᶮɟa˥˧/

morally honest and upright, morally straight, righteous


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


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.


siab ceev

/ʂiə̯˥.cẽ˧˦/

quick-tempered, hot-tempered, prone to anger


raug

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

raug mob

to suffer pain or illness; a wound, injury


raug siab

/ʈau̯˧˩̤.ʂiə̯˥/

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


xu siab

undesirable, unlikeable, gross, being a turn-off


siab nyias

/ʂiə̯˥.ɲiə̯˩/


kaj siab

/ka˥˧.ʂiə̯˥/

with a refreshed, secure heart or spirit


siab kaj

/ʂiə̯˥.ka˥˧/


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


chim siab

/cʰi˩̰.ʂiə̯˥/


kho siab

/kʰɒ˧.ʂiə̯˥/


txaj

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


txaj muag

/t͡sa˥˧.muə̯˧˩̤/


hlab

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


zoo nkauj

/ʐɒ̃˧.ᵑɡau̯˥˧/


nyuaj

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


pheej yig

/pʰẽ˥˧.ʝi˧˩̤/

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


tsawg

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

inh

Amelikas tsev neeg tsawg dua Hmoob.

American families are smaller than Hmong (families).

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


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”).


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”)


tsuag

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

saltless, flatin taste, flavorless, bland


ntxhuav

/ⁿt͡sʰuə̯˧˦/


loj leeb

neeg loj leeb


tsaus

tsaus tsaus li

Lub qab daus tsaus heev.


tag los

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


lwm

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


nram ntej

/ᶯɖa˩̰.ⁿde˥˧/

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


tsaug

tsaug tsaug leeg li