ໜ້າຮັກ
na hak
ໜ້າຮັກ (na hak) is the Lao word for cute.
ໜ້າຮັກ is used to describe someone or something that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way. It can refer to physical cuteness, such as a baby or an animal, as well as a person's charming or sweet personality.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of ໜ້າ (na), meaning face or appearance and ຮັກ (hak), meaning to love.
How do you pronounce it?
na hak
Did you know?
- In Laos, calling a grown adult ໜ້າຮັກ can be a way to describe their kindness or politeness rather than their physical appearance.
- While English speakers use 'cute' for everything from kittens to coffee mugs, using ໜ້າຮັກ for inanimate objects in Lao can sometimes feel slightly anthropomorphic, as if you are giving the object a personality.
- The word ຮັກ (love) used in this phrase is the same word used in the more intense, deep romantic sense of 'to love' someone.
Examples in context
- ນ້ອງສາວລາວໜ້າຮັກ.His younger sister is cute.This sentence shows how to use ໜ້າຮັກ to describe a person.Tatoeba #8981604 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8981605 by Analu_Kalaka
- ເດັກນ້ອຍຄົນນັ້ນໜ້າຮັກຫຼາຍ.dek noy khon nan na hak lai.That child is very cute.
- ແມວໂຕນີ້ໜ້າຮັກແທ້ໆ.maew to nee na hak tae tae.This cat is really cute.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a photo of a baby.
- Aເບິ່ງລູກຂອງລາວແມ້, ໜ້າຮັກແທ້!beung look khong lao mae, na hak thae!Look at their baby, so cute!
- Bແມ່ນແລ້ວ, ໜ້າຮັກຄືພໍ່ເລີຍ.maen laew, na hak khu phor loeyYes, cute just like the father.
- Aເຈົ້າຢາກມີລູກໜ້າຮັກແບບນີ້ບໍ່?chao yak mee look na hak baeb nee bor?Do you want to have a cute baby like this?
- Bຢາກມີແນ່ນອນ.yak mee nae nonDefinitely.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
