nkees heev
The English phrase "very tired" is translated into Hmong as nkees heev.
nkees heev is used to describe feeling a great deal of physical or mental exhaustion.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective nkees (tired) followed by the intensifier heev (very).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Hmong, the intensifier heev follows the adjective it modifies, whereas in English "very" precedes the adjective.
Did you know?
- In Hmong culture, feeling nkees heev can sometimes be attributed to a spiritual imbalance or the loss of a soul fragment rather than just physical exertion.
- The intensifier heev is a linguistic relative of the Mandarin Chinese word hěn, which also means 'very'.
- Because Hmong is a tonal language, the meaning of nkees can change entirely if the tone is slightly misplaced, turning 'tired' into a completely different concept.
Examples in context
- Kuv nkees heev.I am very tired.
- Nws nkees heev hnub no.He is very tired today.
Example conversation
Mai and Xiong are resting after a long walk.
- MaiXiong, koj puas nkees heev?Xiong, are you very tired?
- XiongYog, kuv nkees heev li.Yes, I am very tired.
- MaiKuv txhob cia koj taug kev ntxiv.I won't let you walk anymore.
- XiongUa tsaug, Mai.Thank you, Mai.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries heev, CC BY-SA 4.0.
