nyab
The Hmong word for sister-in-law is nyab.
nyab is used to refer to the wife of one's brother or the sister of one's spouse.
Did you know?
- The precision of Hmong kinship terms means that one English phrase like 'sister-in-law' often requires several different Hmong words to accurately describe the exact relationship.
- Because Hmong kinship is highly hierarchical, calling a sister-in-law by her given name instead of a title can be seen as disrespectful.
- Because the Hmong language is tonal, a slight change in the pitch of nyab can change the word entirely, potentially meaning something unrelated to family.
Examples in context
- Nws tus nyab tuaj lawm.His sister-in-law has arrived.
Example conversation
Nao and Xiong are talking about a family gathering.
- NaoXiong, puas yog koj tus nyab tuaj?Xiong, is your sister-in-law coming?
- XiongYog, nws yuav tuaj nrog peb.Yes, she will come with us.
- NaoNws puas xav tau dab tsi?Does she want anything?
- XiongNws tsis xav tau dab tsi li.She doesn't want anything at all.
