muam
/muə̯˩̰/
The Hmong word for sister is muam.
muam is a noun used to refer to a woman or girl who has the same parents.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/muə̯˩̰/
When do people say it?
In Hmong culture, kinship terms like muam are used not only for biological siblings but also to establish social hierarchy and respect among peers.
Did you know?
- The precision required to name a sister in Hmong can change based on whether she is your maternal or paternal sibling.
- While English uses 'sister' for both older and younger siblings, Hmong speakers often use different terms depending on whether the sister is older or younger than them.
- In Hmong culture, you might call a complete stranger muam to show friendliness or to establish a respectful connection. It functions more like a social glue than a biological label.
Examples in context
- Nws yog kuv muam.She is my sister.
- Koj muam yog leej twg?Who is your sister?
Example conversation
Xiong is asking Kao about her family.
- XiongKao, koj puas muaj muam?Kao, do you have a sister?
- KaoYog, kuv muaj ib tug muam.Yes, I have one sister.
- XiongNws puas hlub koj?Does she love you?
- KaoYog, kuv tus muam hlub kuv heev.Yes, my sister loves me very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries muam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
