xoom
The Hmong word for zero is xoom.
xoom is used as the cardinal number for zero, representing the concept of nothing.
Meaning: cardinal number before 1, denoting nothing (num)
Did you know?
- While xoom is the mathematical term for zero, using it in a social context to mean 'nothing' can sound unnaturally technical or robotic.
- Because Hmong is a tonal language, the word xoom is not just defined by its letters but by its pitch. A slight shift in how high or low you sing the word could transform the number 'zero' into an entirely unrelated word.
- While xoom is the standard term, some Hmong speakers in the West have adopted English-influenced ways of expressing zero in technical fields like computer science.
Example conversation
Xiong and Kao are checking their game scores.
- XiongKao, koj muaj pes tsawg nqe?Kao, how many points do you have?
- KaoKuv tsuas muaj xoom nqe xwb.I only have zero points.
- XiongKuv muaj tsib nqe!I have five points!
- KaoKoj yeej lawm, Xiong.You won, Xiong.
