hli
/l̥i˧/
The English phrase "moon" is hli in Hmong.
hli refers to the natural satellite of planet Earth.
Meaning: the natural satellite of planet Earth (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/l̥i˧/
Did you know?
- In some Hmong dialects, the term hli is used in metaphorical expressions to describe beauty or a glowing complexion.
- The Hmong word hli shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Tibetan word zla ba meaning 'moon'.
- In many Hmong dialects, the word for 'moon' is identical to the word used for 'month'.
Examples in context
- Hli loj heev.The moon is very big.
- Hli ci ntsais zoo heev.The moon shines very beautifully.
Example conversation
Kao and Xiong are looking up at the night sky.
- KaoXiong, saib hli zoo heev.Xiong, look, the moon is so beautiful.
- XiongKao, hli ci heev rau niaj hnub no.Kao, the moon is shining brightly tonight.
- KaoHli zoo nkauj heev.The moon is truly lovely.
- XiongYog, kuv pom zoo heev.Yes, I see it very clearly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moon” translations and entries hli, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hli, CC BY-SA 4.0.
