zuag

White Hmong edit

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ʐuə̯˧˩̤/

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Hmong *ræᶜ (“comb”).^[1]

Noun edit

zuag (classifier: lub)

a comb, brush

Etymology 2 edit

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *-rajH (“sharp”).^[1]

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Bears resemblance to Old Chinese 銳 (OC *l'oːds, *lods, “sharp”), Middle Chinese 利 (MC lijH, “id”).”

Adjective edit

zuag

pointed, sharp

Verb edit

zuag

to sharpen to a point
zuag cwm mem ― to sharpen a pencil

Etymology 3 edit

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Not mentioned by Ratliff at all. Based on the rough reconstructed Hmongic form (something like *raj), perhaps borrowed from Middle Chinese 黎 (MC lej, “black; almost”)?”

Adjective edit

zuag

dim, dark

Derived terms edit

tsaus ntuj zuag (“dusk”)
zem zuag (“faintly visible, unclear, dim”)

References edit

Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎^[1], SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 441.

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 286.

[Ratliff-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 286.

[1]