tsov
/t͡ʂɒ˧˦/
The Hmong word for tiger is tsov.
tsov is a noun used to refer to the mammal Panthera tigris.
Meaning: The mammal Panthera tigris (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/tʂɒ˧˦/
Did you know?
- Historically, Hmong people may have used euphemisms instead of saying tsov aloud in the wild to avoid attracting the animal's attention.
- The word tsov evolved from a term meaning 'ancestor' in Middle Chinese. This shift happened because of a traditional Southeast Asian custom of treating tigers as ancestral figures.
- In some Hmong traditions, the tiger is viewed not just as a predator but as a spiritual protector or a guardian of the forest.
Example sentences for Hmong are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Tou and Kao are looking at animals in a picture book.
- TouKao, koj pom tus tsov qhov twg?Kao, where do you see the tiger?
- KaoTou, tsov nyob ntawm qhov no.Tou, the tiger is right here.
- TouTus tsov ntawd zoo ntev kawg li.That tiger looks very long.
- KaoYog, tsov yog ib tug dab tsov loj.Yes, a tiger is a big wild animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tiger” translations and entries tsov, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tsov, CC BY-SA 4.0.
