Hmoob Word-a-Day
17 August 2004
Saus: Splinter, fragment.
Synonyms:
nplaim saus (splinter),
tus pos (thorn or prickle)
ntshiv ntoo (small fiber or sliver of wood)
saus xyoob (bamboo splinter)
saus ntoo (wood spliner)
Pronounciation: shao (low tone)
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Dig saus.
(To extract the splinter, perhaps with a needle.)
- Dig saus tes/taw.
(To extract a splinter from one’s hand/foot.)
- Muab saus muag los.
(To remove a fragment/splinter from the eye.)
- Kuv rho tau tus saus lawm.
(I removed the splinter.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
18 August 2004
Nob txwv: weak, wasted.
Synonyms:
nkees (tired)
sab (tired)
Pronounciation: knaw tzeu
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Mus kev ntev ntev mas nob txwv tas nrho.
(Having been on a long journey, we were wasted.)
- Kwv phom mas nob txwv heev.
(Carrying a rifle makes one tired.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
19 August 2004
Paj faj txhov: orchid.
Pronounciation: ba fa tzô
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Ib tsob (paj) faj txhov.
(An orchid plant.)
- Tooj de nrho ib lub paj faj txhov coj mus muab rau Maiv.
(Tong picked an orchid and gave it to Mai.)
- Cov paj faj txhov tab tom nra/nthuav.
(The orchids are blossoming.)
- Lub faj txhov muaj rau daig paj.
(The orchid flower has six petals.)
- Lawv niaj hnub mus de paj hmab paj ntoos tom hav zoov.1
(Each day, they went and picked flowers in the jungle.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Liaj Lwg Cag Txuj
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
20 August 2004
Qaws: to collect, roll up, or gather in a bunch (as in hair or clothes).
Pronounciation: guuhh
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Qaws plaub hau.
(To gather one's hair into a knot.)
- Qaws plaub hau ua yiv tws -LOS SIS - Qaws yiv tws.
(to gather one's hair into a bun.)
- Nws cov plaub hau muab qaws rau saum taub hau.1
(Her hair was in a bun on top of her head.)
- Qaws ceg ris -LOS SIS - Loj ceg ris.
(To take or roll up one's pant legs.)
- Qaws tw tiab.
(To lift the back of the skirt.)
- Zeb qaws ceg ris hla dej.
(Ge rolled up his pantlegs and crossed the river.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Tej Yam tsis Paub Ploj
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
23 August 2004
Maim: to dodge, to flinch.
Pronounciation: mai (with an abrupt glottal stop)
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Nws txawb kuv, kuv maim.
(They threw things at me and I dodged them.)
- Lawv ntaus yus, yus maim tsis raug yus.
(They swung at me, I dodged and they didn't reach/hit me.)
- Kuv maim dhau lawv lub muas txwv.
(I dodged their bullets(which they shotat me).)
- Yog tias koj tsis txawj maim, ces lawv yuav ntaus raug koj.
(If you aren't able to dodge well, then they are going to be able to hit you.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
24 August 2004
Dua caij: the season is passed.
Pronounciation: do-uh gy-eye
Synonyms:
Dua nyoog: the season is passed.
Dua taw: the season is passed.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Dua caij noj pob kws tshiab.
(The season has passed for the eating of the new corn crop.)
- Hlais yeeb dua taw tas lawm.
(The time for harvesting opium has passed.)
- Txiv tsawb dua taw lawm.
(The banana season has come to a close.)
- Dua caij mus tua muas lwj.
(Deer hunting season has passed.)
- Dua caij pais mloog Lue Yang hu nkauj.
(The season has passed to see Lue Yang perform/sing.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
25 August 2004
(tus) Hiab: a leach.
Pronounciation: hee-uh
Synonyms:
(tus) npliaj hiab: a leach
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Koj puas tau hnov tias ib tus hiab tom Nos Vaj?
(Did you hear that a leech bit Nao Vang?)
- Hiab rog.
(The leech is full of blood.)
- Tus hiab ncav nuj nua.
(The leech stretches out to reach its prey.)
- Hiab haus/ntxais ntshav.
(The leech drinks/sucks blood.)
- Nos Vaj ua dab tsi thaum nws pom tus hiab? Nws de hiab ntawd pov tseg xwb!
(What did Nao Vang do when he saw the leech? He ripped it off (and cast it away)!)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
26 August 2004
Taw: to point, aim or hold horizontally
Pronounciation: daw
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Taw phom ntsees
(To raise the gun horizontally)
- Taw tes
(To point (with the finger))
- Muab ntiv tes taw kev rau peb.
(Point the way (with your finger) for us.)
- Taw kev/Qhuab kev.
(Show the way.)
- Taw phom/ntees tua noog.
(Raise the gun/crossbow to shoot the bird.)
- Taw phom rau tub sab.
(Raise the gun towards the thief.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
27 August 2004
Phoov tes: the cupping shape or pocket made by the joining of one's two hands.
Pronounciation: pong (low rising tone) day (low flat tone)
Variation:
Nphoov tes
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Nyob pem Chiang Mai kuv pom ib tug tub ntsuag. Nws tsis muaj tsev nyob. Nws muab phoov tes thov nyiaj.
(Up in Chiang Mai, I saw an orphan boy. He was homeless. He was holding out his hands and asking for money. )
- Muab phoov tes cug nyiaj.
(To cup one's hands to collect money)
- Ib phoov tes.
(A type of measurement - The amount contained in the cup formed by both of one's hands, a handful.)
- Yog leej twg xav noj mov, yuav tsum sib zog fiab hnab yawm ntses. Ib hnub yog fiab tau 3 lub ces tau ib phoov tes mov noj.1
(If someone wants to eat, they must work hard and fill a bag of fish they caught. In one day, one must fill 3 bags in order to get a handful of
food to eat.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. HIHRW
