Hmoob Word-a-Day
2 July 2004
1Tom txwv: capacity, capability, might.
2Tom txwv: siv tom txwv, use your abilities to cast a spell.
Classifier – (lub) tom txwv
I have also heard tom txwv can mean secret, but have no confirmation of this.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Koj xav sim kuv tom txwv lov?
(Oh! So you want to put my capabilities to the test?)
- Muaj neeg siv tom txwv rau nws nws thiaj li tuag.
(Someone cast a spell on him and he died.)
- Qhov yeeb ncuab lub tom txwv tsim txom Hmoob yooj yim ntawd yog tim Hmoob coj cwj pwm tsis zoo. 1
(The reason that our enemies easily use their capacities to persecute the Hmong is because our character isn’t as it should be.)
- Suav siv Suav lub tom txwv tua peb cov Hmoob puag thaud ub peb nyob Suav teb.
(When we lived in China, the Chinese used their capabilities to kill the Hmong)
- Lawv siv lawv cov tuab neeg ua tom txwv tsim txom teb chaws America xis le cov xwm txheej lub 9-11-01 uas yeeb ncuab tsav nyob hoom
tsoo ob lub tsev nyob hauv New York (World Trade Center) thiab tsoo ib lub tsev nyob hauv Washington DC (Pentagon).2
(They use their people in that capacity to attack America as in the events of 9/11 when our enemies drove planes into the two towers in New
York and crashed into the Pentagon in DC.)
- Paj cai cov tub rog thiaj siv tom txwv ua rau cov tub rog Nyab laj Nyab laj thiaj li raug sub tawg sub ntsha ua rau lawv tuag lawm coob kawg
nkaus. 3
(Pa Cai’s soldiers used their abilities to cast a spirit on the Vietnamese soldiers. The evil sub spirits got to the Vietnamese soldiers and a
great many of them died.)
-This last one is a bit difficult on the translation.
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau…
1: Faiv Neeb Vaj
2: Faiv Neeb Vaj
3: Hmong Congress
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
6 July 2004
Pwm: mold, mildew.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Mov tuaj pwm.
(The food is moldy.)
- Nyob hauv koj chav da dej, thiab ntug qhov rais yuav tuaj pwm tau sai heev. 1
(In bathrooms and on the trim around windows, mold can grow very quickly.)
- Siv mentsis bleach nrog dej los txhuam tsev thiab hoob nab kom tsis txhob tuaj pwm thiab tso lwg. 2
(When cleaning your house and bathrooms, put some bleach in your water so that mold won’t grow and so it won’t be smelly.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau…
1: UMN
2: Molina
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
7 July 2004
Lam: half-heartedly.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Nws lam hais xwb.
(He is just kidding. He is half-heartedly speaking.)
- Noj tsis noj lam tuav diav, luag tsis luag lam ntxi hniav. 1
(Whether you eat or not, at least hold a spoon. Whether you laugh or not, at least smile.)
- Yuav tsum tsis txhob lam tau lam noj tshuaj.
(You shouldn’t just half-heartedly take medicine.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau…
1:Hwjchim Vaj
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
13 July 2004
Puaj sis: in that case.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Puaj sis los mog.
(It is really thus. That is really the case/fact of the matter.)
- Nej xav yuav peb lub tsheb puaj sis los muab. 1
(You guys want to buy our car, in that case, come and get it.)
- Koj nyiam puaj sis yuav, tsis nyiam puaj sis tseg.2
(If you like it, then take it. If not, then leave it.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau…
1: Txiv Plig Nyiaj Pov
2: Txiv Plig Nyiaj Pov
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
19 July 2004
Zem ziv: pale (as in colors).
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Liab zem ziv
(Rose-colored)
- Daj zem ziv
(Pale-yellow colored)
- Suav, koj twb hnav tsho xim liab zem ziv lawm pov?
(Shoua, you were wearing the rose-colored shirt weren't you?)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
26 July 2004
Ciaj ciam: boundrey, border, limit, restriction, guidelines.
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Nyob ntawm Lostsuas teb ciaj ciam mas...
(On Laos' border...)
- Tsis muaj ciaj ciam hnub nyoog li.
(There isn't an age limit.)
- Qhov no tsis muaj ciaj ciam dab tsi, lam ua raws siab nyiam xwb.
(In doing this, there aren't any guidelines or restrictions. One can do as one pleases.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
27 July 2004
Loob: to change (clothes). <coarse language>.
Loob muam: bandits, gangsters who kill and slaughter people.
variation: suav loob muam
Loob ntxwv: deaf.
variation: loob pob loob ntxwv
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- loob ris tsho.
(to change clothes. coarse)
- Loob tawv dev!
(Get dressed! angrily)
- Koj tsis muaj ris tsho hnav mas ib me ntsis koj yuav loob tawv dev xwb!
(If you don't have anything to wear, then soon you'll be wearing dog skins!)
- Cov loob muam tuaj tua peb coob tus ces khiav nrog peb tej khoom siv mus lwm qhov chaw.
(The bandits came and killed many of our people and then left having stolen many of our provisions.)
- Vim nws mob heev thaum tseem yau mas nws thiaj loob pob loob ntxwv hnov tsis tau luag hais.
(Because he was sick when he was younger, he is now deaf.)
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
28 July 2004
Ntis: hide, conceal, block, filter, screen, make secret of.
Pronounciation: n-dee
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Koj tsis txhob ntis kuv.
(Don't conceal me or hide me from sight.)
- Hauv roob ntis...
(In the shadow of the mountain...)
- Hnub no tshav ntuj heev, tsis muaj huab ntis hlo li.
(Today is really sunny. There isn't a cloud in the sky to block the sunlight.)
- Txhob ntis kuv tshav ntuj, no no kuv.
(Don't block my sunlight, It's making me cold.)
- ntis mob ntis ntsaj
(to hide your sickness and suffering (so the dab won't come))
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
29 July 2004
Roob ris: a crab
Pronounciation: drong dree (more d, less r)
Synonym: raub ris
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- lub khauj khaum roob ris
(the crab's shell)
- Hmo no koj tuaj xyuas peb ces peb yuav noj nqaij roob ris!
(Tonight come visit us and we'll eat crab!)
- Roob ris mus kev faj zuj zas.
(The crab walks sideways.)
- mus kev faj zuj zus
(to walk like a crab.)
Perhaps someone can fill us in on the deeper meaning of the following two:
- Zaj roob ris sawv haus dej.
- Roob ris tuag vim roob ris lub qhov, zaj tuag vim zaj lub pov.
And a fun one (well sort of)...
- Tau phem nyab, ces tam ntua li ntes roob ris hauv vab!
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
30 July 2004
Kov kov: In the end..., In a little while longer...
Pronounciation: guh - gaw (Normally, the word kov is prounounced "gaw", but when a word is repeated in the Hmong language, the first
word is said only partially with the vowel sound "uh" in place of the original vowel sound. Repetition of words is usually either for emphasis
or, in this case, is simply a part of the phrase or word.)
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Kov kov ntev me ntsis peb mam mus.
(In a little while, we will head out.)
- Kov kov ntshai peb yuav tsis mus tsev.
(I'm afraid that in the end, we won't be returning home.)
- Txawm tias peb niaj hnub ua hauj lwm tas zog, kov kov ntshe tias nyob hauv lub teb chaws no peb yuav tsis vam meej li!
(Although we may work hard all day long, in the end I'm afraid that we won't prosper in this country!)
And maybe we can get some help on this one:
- Kov kov sawv daws thiaj li ua lub teb chaws poob mus li no.1
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Rog Paj Cai Page
