ຊີ້ນງົວ
sīn ngūa
The Lao word for beef is ຊີ້ນງົວ (sīn ngūa) or ເນື້ອງົວ. Wiktionary also lists ເນຶ້ອງົວ (nưa ngūa).
Meaning: meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ຊີ້ນງົວ | sīn ngūa |
| ເນຶ້ອງົວ | nưa ngūa |
What does it mean word for word?
The term ຊີ້ນງົວ is composed of ຊີ້ນ (meat) and ງົວ (cow). The term ເນື້ອງົວ is composed of ເນື້ອ (meat/flesh) and ງົວ (cow).
How do you pronounce it?
sīn ngūa
Did you know?
- Lao speakers use ເນື້ອ to describe the 'lyrics' of a song, as the word refers to the 'flesh' or substance of the music.
- The word ງົວ (cow) is used in the Lao idiom ງົວສາມຂາ (three-legged cow) to describe something that is useless or a failed effort.
- In Lao, the word ເນື້ອ (meat) is also used to describe the 'pulp' of a fruit or the 'texture' of a fabric, treating the physical substance of an object similarly to the grain of beef.
Examples in context
- ຂ້ອຍມັກກິນຊີ້ນງົວ.khoy mak kin si n gua.I like eating beef.
- ຊີ້ນງົວລາຄາແພງຫຼາຍ.si n gua la kha phaeng lai.Beef is very expensive.
- ເຈົ້າຊື້ຊີ້ນງົວມາແລ້ວບໍ?chao seu si n gua ma laeo bo?Have you bought the beef yet?
Example conversation
A person is grocery shopping with a friend.
- Aພວກເຮົາຄວນຊື້ຊີ້ນງົວເທົ່າໃດ?phuak hao khuan seu si n gua thao dai?How much beef should we buy?
- Bຊື້ຊີ້ນງົວປະມານໜຶ່ງກິໂລກໍພໍ.seu si n gua pa man nueng ki lo ko pho.Buying about one kilo of beef is enough.
- Aຊີ້ນງົວຢູ່ໃສ?si n gua yu sai?Where is the beef?
- Bຊີ້ນງົວຢູ່ທາງດ້ານຊ້າຍມືເຈົ້າ.si n gua yu thang dan sai mue chao.The beef is to your left.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
