tus phab ej
The Hmong word for hero is tus phab ej.
This term refers to a person of great bravery.
Meaning: person of great bravery (verb)
Did you know?
- The word tus in tus phab ej originally served as a classifier specifically for horses.
- While it means 'hero', the word tus phab ej is also used to describe a 'spirit' or 'deity' in many spiritual contexts.
- The term carries a sense of 'guardian' or 'protector' which is much stronger than the English sense of just being 'brave'.
Example conversation
Nao and Yee are talking about a brave person in a story.
- NaoLeeg neeg no yog ib tus phab ej.This person is a hero.
- YeeYog, nws qab zib heev.Yes, he is very brave.
- NaoKoj xav ua ib tus phab ej los?Do you want to be a hero too?
- YeeKuv xav ua ib tus phab ej.I want to be a hero.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
