छिगु नां छु खः?
chhiguk naang chhu kha?
छिगु नां छु खः? (chhiguk naang chhu kha?) is how you say "what is your name?" in Newari.
This phrase is used to ask a person for their name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Your name what is?" where छिगु means "your" (polite/formal) and नां means "name".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bhaktapur, a variation of the phrase is Hajurko/ci naam k ho?
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, छिगु is the polite or formal possessive pronoun for "your" and नां means "name".
How do you pronounce it?
chhiguk naang chhu kha?
Did you know?
- In very formal Newari introductions, it is common to refer to oneself in the third person or use humble terms rather than a direct 'I' when answering the question छिगु नां छु खः?
- The word नां is a direct descendant of the Sanskrit word 'nāma', making it a linguistic relative of the English word 'name'.
- In the Kathmandu Valley, the way you ask for a name can change based on the caste or social standing of the person you are addressing, as Newari historically utilized a complex system of honorifics.
Examples in context
- छिगु नां छु खः?chigu naan chu kha?What is your name?
Example conversation
Rashmi and Bibek meet for the first time at a community event.
- रश्मी Rashmiनमस्ते, छिगु नां छु खः?namaste, chigu naa chu kha?Hello, what is your name?
- बिबेक Bibekजिगु नां बिबेक खः।jigu naa bibek kha.My name is Bibek.
- रश्मी Rashmiजिगु नां रश्मी खः।jigu naa rashmi kha.My name is Rashmi.
- बिबेक Bibekरश्मी, छिंन्यं भेटयेनें खुसी जुया।rashmi, chinyan bhetayenen khusi juya.Rashmi, nice to meet you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries नां, CC BY-SA 4.0.
