Hmoob Word-a-Day
5 October 2004
Yaj phom: a pistol.
Pronounciation: yeah (high falling tone) pot (don't pronounce the t, glottal stop)
Classifier: (rab)
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Lis! Koj xuas yaj phom no seb nws puas tua tau noog.
(Lee! Use this pistol and see if you can kill a bird.)
- Nws xuas rab yaj phom tua ntau phom rau kuv. Kuv khiav lauj!
(He used his pistol to fire many shots at me. I ran.)
- Tsab thiaj li rho hlo yaj phom los tib yaj phom rau Poj Dab.1
(How do you translate this last sentence? Kudos to the one who can do it!)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Dab Neeg Phau Ib
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
6 October 2004
Yib: 1. to be satisfied or willing to accept the decision or settlement (often in a dispute).
2. to consent, to accept someone's point of view.
Pronounciation: yee (high tone)
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Nws thov li cas los nom tsis yib li.
(No matter what he said, the official wouldn't accept it.)
- Yog tias nws tsis yib mas yuav ua li cas?1
(If he won't accept the settlement, then what will we do?)
- Kuv tsis yib koj.2
(I don't accept your point of view.)
- Kuv xav yuav peb puas, koj muab ob puas xwb mas kuv tsis yib.3
(I wanted $300, you only give me $200. I don't accept this.)
- Yog niam txiv tom ub tseem muaj ib tug txhib ntag das tias yog tsis tau kaum ob kho mas niam txiv tom ub mas yeej tsis yib li.4
(Anyone care to translate this?)
- Neb nkawm me khaub plees nkauj nraum tsis hais ib lo lus txaj los xeev txwj xeev laus hais tias tsis yib.5
(A little more difficult usage. Translate if you dare!)
(In my studies, I have only found this word to be used in the negative sense: to not accept. Are you aware of this word being used in the
affirmative: I do agree to this settlement, etc?)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Ernest E. Heimbach
2. T.P. Nyiaj Pov
3. T.P. Nyiaj Pov
4. Poj Rhawv Kab Yawm Rhawv Kev Tus Cag Txuj
5. Poj Rhawv Kab Yawm Rhawv Kev Tus Cag Txuj
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Hmoob Word-a-Day
28 October 2004
Pej thuam: 1. a tower
2. a statue or commemorative relief.
Pronounciation: bay (high falling tone) to-ah (with glottal stop)
Synonym:
mlom - a better translation of statue
Classifier: tus
Lus Piv txwv (examples):
- Puag thaum ub, cov neeg Babylon tau txua ib tug pej thuam siab siab heev seb lawv puas cuag tau Tswv Ntuj chaw nyob.
(Along time ago, the Babylonians built a very tall tower in an attempt to reach the heavens.)
- Raws li kuv xav mas, pej thuam ntawd tsis phim Tub Npis Lis Foom.
(To me, that statue doesn't look like Tou Bee Lee Foung.)
- Nyob Nplog teb, peb Hmoob puas tau txua pej thuam siab heev?
(In Laos, did us Hmong folk erect high towers?)
- Tseem Fwv Thaib tau nteg Luang Pho kaw vim nws tau puab tus pej thuam Fuab tais Thaib.1
(Luang Pho was thrown in jail by the government because he made a statue of the Thai King.)
Ua tsaug ntau ntau rau:
1. Ib tug hu ua "Zoo"
