to put a lid on a pot when boiling on the fire to keep the steam in


the mouth, speech, conversation, talk, speech; a bank, a shore


the top of a human head where hairs seem to grow in circular manner (normal person usually have one of such though there are some who have more than one)


to settle down and get ready for eating, to partake a meal


to stand upright, to stand straight, to stand at attention


to think much of, to value highly, to esteem


arrogant, haughty, insolent, great and then rude and unmannerly


to exalt one's self, to be conceited, to think highly of one's self, to be proud


to acquit, to pronounce guiltless, to clear of guilt


the term for a man to refer to all his sisters and female cousins or relatives


name of the many non-fatal but playful spirit the pre-Christian Hmar believes to exist


a variety of big bean (the dry fruit of which is used to rub dishes when washing)


to pass through a village without putting up for the night


those that occupy at the moment, occupants (of a house, etc)


morose, quiet (in disposition or through sickness)


all living creatures (land and water animals, insects, birds, etc)


one’s requirement for eating and drinking, provisions, victuals


to winnow, to remove the chaff and the broken pieces


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui festival


to be comforted, to be consoled, to be in comfort, to be at peace


a single grain of maize (of the famous Liendo folktale)


children’s play with pebbles or pieces of stone


an expression of death-defying risk (dead if death life if alive)


a rebel (who move out from one’s house) and hid outside (jungle)


itch, tingle, tickling (of the teeth after eating sour fruits)


to eavesdrop, to secretly listen someone else’ conversation


cramp, contraction of the muscles, tired


often, always, continually, in the habit of


to join or take part in a festival or feast


the name of a flowering tree with red blossoms


to equal in quantity, number, amount, etc


meeting of more than two individual or other living things


to dream of what one has been talking about


a form of eating in the smallest particles


to resent, to be reluctant to let go, to be reluctant to part with


lying upside down or face up, to turn upside down


good manner, good conduct, good behaviour


the name of a wild plant the buds of which is edible


one who look after (a patient or one who is in need of help), attendant


a woman forcing herself into the house of a man to be his wife


the feeling unsatisfactory or deficiency


the name of a small variety of gourd used as a flask for carrying ‘tibur tui’


a piece of bamboo or steel bent like a horseshoe and used for scraping beans


one who is responsible for, one who is to bear the blame


a poetical word used for grain, paddy, rice, etc


a variety of the arum plant mostly found in Manipur plains locally called ‘yendem’


to stop (crying), to give up (one’s position); divorce


complete darkness wherein one can’t see anything


the bamboo pipe used to sip or drink pot wine


to love, to pity, to regard or treat with favour


inflamed surface (as from burning, scalding, etc)


to be on a dying bed, to be seriously ill


the flat polished bar in a Hmar loom for ramming home the wool after each passage of the shuttle


sound or cry given out by animals or birds


leader, manager, the head of family or organisation


to bury the face in the hands, to put the hand to the face or head (as when in perplexity or sorrow), to hang the head


in any case, anyhow, anyway, inspite of everything


a place where a Hmar pre-Christian era priest perform their rites


unfinished, of that remain, to fail to eat; far, to be far


to oppose, to take side against, one side (having another corresponding side)


the name of fence or barrier with apertures at intervals in which noose traps are set for animals such as deer, wild boar, etc


to oppose each other; to make a rough sketch


a fully grown up chicken cage, a fowl house (usually built on the entrance and lower slope side of a Hmar house)


to delay following, to remain behind and to let go, to delay finishing


to listen, to give heed to, to eavesdrop


name of thorny species of tree with cotton like buds that grows on steep slope and cliffy areas and often refer to as a by-product of disobedience


a ring of cane to put under a pot to keep it from rolling


to be entirely dependent on others for one’s support


to have work on hand (to do or go), to have awaiting one in the future (to do or go)


the parts of a sacrificed animal set apart for the spirits or "sabar"


to perform a ceremony so as to get power over the spirit of the animal one kills during his lifetime on to life after death


to cut off, shear off, slash off (with lengthwise motion)


object of or for, cause of, meaning of, reason of or for, means of (eg. Mi thu a awi naw leiin a tuor pha an ta kha – he is now suffering as he is not heeding to advise given to him)


to medically arrange oneself so as not to get pregnant again


to try to free oneself from being tied (by rope, etc)


to penetrate, to enter, to go in (as one thing in another)


singing together with traditional songs and tunes


the present generation, a new generation


to accompany, to take away, to take along


to be fond of, to like, to set great store by


to hold or be with till death but refer to tend to someone (parents) till death


tie on the waist; to detain forcibly, to keep as a security or hostage, to keep in a pound


an edible fern plant, bracken (Pteridium)


to stir up, to inflame, to stimulate, to provoke


the span from thumb to the tip of middle finger


to selfishly or greedily acquire all one can for oneself


weaving or matting with one strand over one and one under alternately


to economize, to manage with thrift, to use carefully


a Hmar traditional headgear reserved only for warriors (feather of Cuckoo is always clipped on it)


the liquid extracted from a woman smoking pipe


to watch for, to waylay, to lie in wait, to lie in ambush


an evil spirit believed to be harsh upon human even to the point of taking them away


putting something on the neck as necklace


a spot, a spot in river bank adjacent to a village


to hold it dear and be reluctant to part with or give up


to reach, to be able to reach or eat, to attain to, to reach as far as, to arrive at, etc


those under the supervision of a superior, a household, a company


to hold out (as the hand, cloth, etc for receiving anything), to make anything which is raised above the ground, such as a table, bed, bridge, shelf


a very common and rather institutionalised way of approaching and wooing a girl by a boy wherein the boy goes to the girl’s house usually in the night


a peace accord of two warring parties wherein a dog is being killed and a small feast arranged


to sojourn (in another place), to remain (in another place or country)


Siel rangin siel rang a hring, sakawlin sakawl a hring

a saying which literally means that children usually resemble their parents


to go about leisurely within one’s locality or village


to sway up and down, to swing up and down


to be double, to be twofold, doubled, twofold


promise one another, to make a contract, to take oath, to make vows, to vow


to itinerate, to go from village to village, to go all over a village


moving using the hand, to reach out the hand to another


ill at ease, awkward, not quick and smart


a poetical term for to be dead and be buried


the name of tree (irritating to human skin)


to bring down a hen after it hatched along with the chickens


the part of a village round the chief’s house and village square


being free or at liberty, at ease in mind


to pay earnest money, to pay preliminary deposit


to have many wounds and scars on the body


to have the teeth on edge because of eating acidic fruits


a poem, song composed by anyone, to compose poetry or songs


to double up (as a leaf to form a drinking cup), to curl up, doubled up or turned over at the edge, curled up


that which declines till the end like a rat tail


bright in (colour), clear (as amber, etc), to be bright, clear


the cover of the ridge of the roof of a Hmar traditional thatch and split bamboo roof, the ridging in modern CGI sheet roofing


to make someone sleep or lay down, to lie on the back


one who brings out or puts out, a founder, an originator, a composer, an institutor


the outside, the surroundings, the vicinity


to lever, to paddle with a stern oar, to wriggle about, to row; to secure or demand on certain conditions or by distrait


the projection on the bowl of a Hmar man's pipe immediately below where the stem enters


a small piece or stick of wood, cane, bamboo, etc


to be drunk, to be intoxicated, drunk, intoxicated


to occupy, to take possession of, to enter into possession of


to wither, to wrinkle, withered, wrinkled


to raise objections, to find fault with, to make excuse, to speak against


the tune of songs that are more traditional and indigenous to the Hmars


vertically, perpendicularly, vertical, to swoop down


right (side), opposite of left; the long feathers of a bird's tail or of porcupine


to meet with a mishap, to meet or have accident


to be not afraid, to be sure, to be confident, to have assurance


the name of a tree, the branch and leaves of which grow in clusters of eight


to approach, to make for, to steer for, go towards


mythical water believed to be drank by the spirit of the death on their way to Paradise


a wooden fork like object used for crushing paddy in wet paddy field


the top (of tree, post, etc), the end (of a sentence)


crops or plants those that grows without planting or sowing


a spell or period of unbroken sleep; a generation, one generation


to hit (as with a bough, etc when suddenly released)


extra or related parts, other portions besides the main part


world war, a big war, to be at war with somebody


on the point of, on the brink of, just about to


to be refused admission, to be excommunicated


to discuss or consult each other on an issue


to flow away, to disappear, to go away and get lost


to spread out or leak out unintentionally


the name of a species of civet cat (the small-toothed palm civet)


a youth dormitory, a guest house, a large house where all the young unmarried men of the village sleep at night


transfer, shifted out from one place to another


the pole in a roof going lengthways on the top of the rafters


a hand weaver sprinkling water on her looms to make it easy to weave


fearful, awful, dangerous, to be in danger of


to economise, to be frugal in spending, to thrift


stack of firewood in the front side of a Hmar traditional hill village house


the name of the smallest brass gong and part of ‘darbu’ used in war, tiger hunts, celebrations


yam, taro; a term used to refer to stems underneath (onion, potatoes, etc)


to take the fancy of the eye, attractive, enticing


a term used to call those peoples who apply vermilion on their foreheads (esp Hindus)


to plot, to conspire, to plan; a plot, a conspiracy, a plan


name of a small tree the leaf of which is a Hmar favourite curry item (eurya acuminate)


social intercourse and other enjoyment, etc


a wooden pole place on the lower most area of a jhum so as to prevent loose and fertile soil to slip down or from being carried away by rain water


the name of the prismatic colours sometimes seen in the sky in fine weather, considered a bad omen


to confine totally, to lockdown, to seal off or shut out completely


a bud, to bud, beginning to form in the bud (as rice)


a granddaughter, a sister's daughter, a husband's sister's daughter, a paternal aunt's daughter


the rain that falls usually in the early part of winter and after which the crabs disappeared for their winter hiatus


a wooden pole inserted on a bamboo erected for 'inkawl' or an extra protector of a Hmar traditional thatch house against strong winds or violent storm


a systematic order, in a full disciplinary manner


a stranger, one belonging to another village


name of ant which built its nest on leaves


a rest-house for strangers, a dak-bungalow


the deep loneliness felt by lovers towards the one they love


steamed and fermented or unfermented rice beer


to inspect, to itinerate, to go from place to place; present continuous form of ‘fa/fak’


deprive of air (esp) cycle or motor tyres


in abundance, in big amount, in large number


a bundle, a bunch, to tie up into a bundle; a Hindi originated term for oil


to brood over, to sit (as a fowl), to govern, to rule


going and returning the same day, going and getting back the same day


a shallow valley, the saddle of a hill, a pass


a father, a husband's father, a male, a masculine affix; mushroom, a fungus


to do harm, to hurt someone, to do mischievous, to harm


to crawl, to go, to walk, to wander about


a particular good flat place near Senvon village in Manipur where fowls are kept or shifted during ‘Khawser’ or a Pre-Christian ritual in which no noise or sound is to be made by men or animals. During early Christian days, some non-Hmar dialect using leaders of the Church surreptitiously gathered at this place in one dark night to make a plan to do away the use of Hmar dialect in the Church. The very spot was mysteriously shaken to shreds after some time by nature and is no more a flat surface


a celebration performed after killing fierce wild animals


the first traditional rice wine shared by both parties in Hmar traditional marriage processes


a conversation, an intercourse, a talk, a dialogue


pungent, strong (as spirits, tobacco, etc)


to act as a mother, to take the place of a mother


to roast, to bake, to toast to the level of being eatable


putting something on the neck as necklace


to readied oneself for certain imminent danger


to examine oneself, to search oneself or search one another


heavy sleeper, one who usually sleep long


bone chilling, scary or frightening (which even make the skin to get tickle)


verbal prefix signifying going, generally on lower ground, or from one place to another of lower elevation


cut, to cut, to flay, to skin, to split (as cane)


to lift up (when searching something), to turn over


to cut anything out of wood, to cut (a beehive) out of a tree, to cut or chop (bough) off a tree; to command, to promise, to order, to ask a contribution


to eagerly and hopefully wait for something


to clean, to wash, to rinse (with water)


the name of a tree the bark of which yields a blue-black dye


blemished, deformed, disfigured, spoiled


skin of a wild cat suspended from a high bamboo pole in Hmar traditional villages to scare away other wild animals


grandchildren and great grandchildren of the sons and daughters


the bar in a Hmar woman handloom situated immediately in front of the weaver with which she kept the warp taut and to which the ends of the ‘pheivon’ are attached


to watch, to keep guard over, to look after, to listen to


a covenant, agreement, contract, a testament


a lid, a stopper, a cover, a cork, to shut, to stopper, to cork


to question, to cross-examine, to ask for an explanation of conduct


to prepare beforehand, to keep a good look out, to get or be ready


search by hand, to search for something using the hand


done in a fast and large manner (fak pûk pûk = to eat in a fast and large manner)


to toss up and down, separation of rice and chaff using the handmade sieve (see 'leidar')


a kitchen garden at a distance from the house


low arches of split bamboo so place as to form a fencing to protect a jhoom from wild pigs, boars, etc


to winnow by pouring from a height slowly and allowing the wind to blow away the chaff


to cut down (weeds, trees, etc), to clear (jungle), to massacre


to be baffled, not know what to do, say or think


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui festival


surely, with full focus, with full concentration


a large tray for holding the chaff and bran when husking


to warn by threats of punishment or of dire consequences


to get together for community work or service


soot formed over Hmar traditional village hearth or fire place


the lower side (of a house on a hill side)


a woman who dresses and behaves like a man, a tomboy


the stem of a red pumpkin - a staple Hmar dish item when cooked with ‘sathu-changal’


to slightly graze, to go or pass close to (as shot), to go round about or up and down in front of


to deliver up, to cause to be seized, to let someone to be caught or arrested


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui (by children)


the name of a shelf in a Hmar traditional house opposite to the hearth usually on the lower side of the hill slope


scary, fearsome, that which cannot be taken lightly


to be firm in one’s resolve, to make a determined resistance


caretaker, one who waits and looks after


the term used to refer to the Chakma tribe


an ordinary muzzle-loading gun, used with a percussion cap


an affix used with an intransitive verb to make it transitive


trend, way, mode, manner, style, way of doing


to carry water, carrying water, to draw water


an expression of rebuke for being in excess of (negative)


an expression of someone who is very friendly at one point but completely hostile sometime; one who change their behaviour constantly


one who is weak mentality; sensitive or an emotional person


to speak out, to make known, to speak openly


a Hmar man’s close friend almost similar with "zawl"


to deal craftily with, to use stratagem, to lure


a devil spirit or ghost believes to be the most timid and shy and one that only play with those in jhum hut by making a "rawt rawt" like sound from below


a temporary or makeshift cooking spot outside a house


that which lessens the loneliness of someone


a male illegally approaching a female for sexual favour


to seize by the throat; to squeeze in using the thumb on one side and the other fingers on the other side


a wire or rope tight on the edge of anything for hanging clothes


of less importance, less or minor issue (for the mouth)


a grandfather, great grandfather, a wife's male relation, a maternal uncle's son, a maternal uncle, one in charge of anyone or anything


a situation of excessive heat (fire, sunshine, etc) on the body


move (an item from one place to another)


the name of a small plant used for dyeing hair


a Meitei originated term for sand especially used for construction of houses


to lose savour, to fade, to lose taste, without savour, faded, pale and lifeless


to go through, to pass through, to walk through


to take a small quantity of anything with the finger or knife


a conduit, a gutter (round roof a house)


children born out of wedlock, born when one’s parents are not legally married


a wood smoothing appliance use by carpenters, jack plane


near the doorway, at the door, at the threshold


a woman escaping to her father or brother’s house due to disagreement with the husband or husband’s family


a ritual performed by a traditional Hmar priest so as to please ‘vanhrit’, the spirit of weather


exactly the same, similar in all aspects


separation of husband and wife by death – thought to be the most difficult death to comprehend with


blowing of the wind; to talk angrily, to fume, to seethe


a pre-Christian era Hmar folk goddess believed to have control over all wild animals


a pool, a deeper part of a stream, a small water body


fat and chubby, healthy looking (especially babies)


the name of a plant with daisy like flowers and burr like seeds


to conduct, to lead, to escort, to take with


particular, fussy, to be particular, etc.


eternity, time immemorial, endless ages past


name of a Hmar kindred (unau-suopui) tribe settled in Mizoram & Tripura


a warrior, one who distinguishes himself in battle


a makeshift resting place on the road leading to a jhum field usually with a good bird’s eye view; an indigenous waiting shed


snatching somebody’s lifeline or source of living


a free for all or civil war type mob violence between two parties


to pay homage to, to humble one's self before


a youth who remain unmarried for quite a long time


a hole, a hollow, a cavity (in the earth)


to fall on each other's neck, to embrace


a measurement of grain, a conical heap of paddy, the apex of which will be level with the end of a Hmar hoe held vertically at arm’s length above the head of an ordinary sized man when standing


the name of a tree with very sour edible fruit


the backsweep, those that comes behind and clean up, the rear guard


land of Hmars (mostly refer to the one in south-west Manipur)


interesting, pleasant to hear, willing to hear


bristling hair, to stand on end (as hair)


a platform on which rice is trodden out in jhum field, a threshing floor


to loiter around with no specific purpose


to give clothes, to provide warmth or items


to take along, to carry along (without much ado or trouble or easily)


certainly; for a moment, for a while; temporarily


a variety of mango that bears fruit in autumn


unsuitable, to be unworthy, unsustainable


to be piled up (as measure, etc), piled up


to die in consequence, to die as a result


a landslip, landslide (v), occurrence of landslide


a portion a Hmar bride price given to the girl’s maternal grandfather or uncle


to disconnect or destroy someone’s source of livelihood; to inflict mental injury to someone


to fasten a door so as to prevent one from going out


in general, in most cases, usually, generally


again and again, over and over again, repeatedly


pestle dance or a dance performed by clashing the pestle


a term used to name Bengali and other Hindi speaking mainland Indians (the term sometimes appears to be racist or derogatory, it is not so as it is derived from the Hindi word ‘bhaia’ which means ‘brother’)


to have a bad name, to spoil one’s reputation


terribly, dreadfully, horribly, appallingly, awfully


to talk unnecessary and meaninglessly, to make a noise


to profit or benefit by, to increase (as money), to be profitable, profitable, beneficial, quickly, to some purpose, not in vain


to raid, to attack, to exact a fine in lieu of work


to be safe, secure, free from danger or enemy


to hate, to dislike, to make to feel sick, to make one turn against even to the point of nauseating


an evil spirit, a ghost, a devil, a demon


the place where Hmars claimed themselves to have originated


matters relating to religious rites and rituals; customs, taboos and ceremonies


after every (ni khat danah = every other day; kum 4 danah = after every 4 years)


unfaithful, insincere, not dependable, dishonest


a trace, a mark, a sign (of human), the work which one leaves behind


interior, innermost, the core, the centre


eating "sabar" (n) those who are part of the "sabar" team


a term derived from a Hindi word of ‘Bara Saheb’ meaning ‘big sir’ which mostly referred to the British’s Political Agent then and the district Commissioners now


to be melancholic, a hypochondriac, pensive reflection of the past with no particular individual or thing on the mind


stone thrown so as to skim along the surface of the water


name of thorny species of tree with cotton like buds that grows on steep slope and cliffy areas and often refer to as a by product of disobedience


to ransom, to redeem, to buy back, to atone; to run, running


to open up (as a flower, etc), to spread out (one’s wing)


to be in favour, to be received with approbation, to be liked


hunchbacked, a bulging back, to be hunchbacked, etc


a shawl used for carrying babies on one’s back


to be dazed or stupid upon waking from sleep


an action that come in small scale (rain drops, etc)


horizontal bamboo pole attached on the roof of a house


a wrong victim (a punishment meant for monkey given to a baboon)


to die from exposure, to die a natural death (used of domestic animals), to die and not have the usual sacrifice offered


to stir up strife or a quarrel between two parties


a boisterous drunkard who is problematic when drunk, alcoholic


drooping, to pull down towards one (as a bough), to bend


name of flowering tree that blooms in April


remote and hill villages (hill land literally)


high price, costly, expensive (mostly to commodities)


mighty, grand, magnificent, stupendous, great


to change, to exchange, to replace, to substitute


to demand or plead greedy and rapaciously


the skull of animals or men (a symbol of the victors)


the upper part of the chest or breast; words or speech of high quality and respectable is said to be coming out from this part of the body


to put a lit while cooking and keep the steam in


to squabble, to strive together to excel or rival one another, to emulate one another, to vie with one another; sprain


a pain that further have echoed to other parts of the body


the quivering or simmering air caused by heat (the chameleon’s baking of earthen pot)


the name of a headdress made of parrots and other birds’ wings worn on festive occasions


the generic name of different species of raspberries and blackberries


words from a person’s self, speculative opinion


a term used to refer to Burmese (Myanmarese); the horizon


to hear, to feel, to understand, to know, to surmise, to remember


parents or predecessor; where one is born and grows up


one who sought refuge in the house of the chief or a rich man to be his slave during famine or being pursuance by a stronger tribe in pre-Christian era tribal war (he/she may be freed after the famine or when the war is over)


certainly (mostly used in affirmative sentences)


a measurement of land of approximately 14400 square feet or 0.3306 acres and which is in vogue among Hmars of Assam


clearing of the unburnt woods after a jhum is burnt and re-burn it if needed


the cut trees and shrubs for jhum that were left to dry by sunshine


the spleen; a virgin animal of feminine gender


not same; a half crack, one who is slightly below normal person


those living in the lower side of one’s house


to have a sober look, to be sombre, to be not smiling


affix denoting the masculine gender; the forehead, the brow


to be so conscious and dedicated in one’s job in hand


the main party, the biggest of the group


to receive praise, to be well reported of


important, needful, urgent, necessary, imperative; to be busy, to have a lot of work to do; to be old before getting married


a comparison of a more or less equal in all respect, united in thoughts and ideas or opinion


big virgin forest, big and thick virgin forest


all the more, more than ever, still, yet


the bar in a Hmar woman handloom situated immediately in front of the weaver with which she kept the warp taut and to which the ends of the ‘pheivon’ are attached


to repeat and make it perfect or satisfying


to fail sort of, not qualified, not elected


a rail or railing for things to hang things upon (same as ‘tingban)


expression of tremendous fright with wide open eyes as like that of a hen encountering a centipede


frivolous, fond of joking, unreliable in character, unstable, desultory, capricious, etc


an edible shrub that grows in marshlands


in want of, to be in need of, to run out or be out of anything


the name of a bulbous plant with but one leaf


to be in danger because of enemy, not at peace


a picture, a portrait, an effigy, an idol, an image, a tableau


to the uttermost part of the earth, up to the horizon


to meet someone when they are angry or in bad mood


a friend, a companion (for and of women)


a desert, a wilderness, an uninhabited country


to go on a journey, to visit a distant village


to stay, to remain in a place over a day or night, to sojourn


goods, article, tools, garments, clothes


those living in the upper side of one’s house


the lower extremity of the bowels, the rectum


providential occurrence, a nature’s retribution


a nimble person, a lively and agile person


to join or take part in a festival or feast


a discussion of irrelevance, expression of wishful thinking


to be in complete disarray or delirium mostly due to alcohol


a plain, a low lying plain, a valley, a vale, a dale


the name of a white ant’s nest used for burning in order to keep away insects


law suit, a judicial case, bad news, negative piece of information


to tie a cloth or leaf over the mouth of a pot or vessel


narrow, constricted (thought and belief, etc)


to be unsettled in one’s mind and therefore unable to apply oneself to work


the September month - the month of destruction (Hmars do not get married in this month as it is assumed that those who did it so would face many difficulties and their offspring would also not survive)


shirt (derived from a Hindi term of ‘kameej’)


to have a regular, fixed or appointed time, period or season


to give thanks, to offer one’s gratitude


to be close, tight (in time or period), a little time to spare


a traditional pre-Christian ritual performed by a priest in which a liar is exposed of his crime. (A pot of rice beer is kept and filled with water up to the brim. After a brief chant by the priest, the real culprit used to disclose his hidden crimes fearing that the priest will be really calling the spirits. It is also said that the face of the culprit sometimes really appears on the rice-beer pot)


the first "she mithun" paid as bride price


getting less than others, to be unfortunate, to be taken in, to be swindled, to be defrauded, to be deprived of anything


pleasing to the eye, which one always keep on watching


a pad woven around the shin for protection


to emulate, to vie with, to compete with; to give light


a soft soil produced by ‘leithra’, a small white ant


to persistently and diligently bow down and continue to move


a weaving machine with partly woven cloth


to calculate, to guess, to reckon, to put on one side for a set purpose


the centre and thin-skin portion of the shin


old words that are considered as original or root words


an otter, a semi-aquatic fish-eating mammal (see also "sahram")


to tend with care, to humour, to spoil, to treat with indulgence, to pamper


to consider a subject in all its bearings beforehand


a tree that is about to fall (after it is cut)


froth, lather, scum, foam, (v) to froth, etc


where one’s talent is more, what one is interested or smart at


a yoke worn by men when carrying loads in improvised baskets


to take decision, to decide, to settle dispute


a creeping wild plant which can be used as rope


one who chant the lyrics of a song for others to follow


the barb (of an arrow, spear, fish hook)


leisurely, without any seriousness, foolishly light-hearted


to reform, to repent, to give up, to abandon (a bad habit)


to fill in, to relieve or supply (an immediate or specific want)


the name of wild flower that blooms in late November & early December and is also known as ‘Christmas par’


an enclosed veranda at the back of a Hmar house


fat and chubby, healthy looking (especially babies)


to hang (the strap of) a bag on one’s shoulder


to be what it or one is to be, to happen what may


to play, to play a game, to play a sport


to wash or cleanse, to gargle (with water)


a rite and ritual performed so as to please ‘fapite’ in before the annual crop season begins in the pre-Christian Hmar society


to lose (as by death, fire, raid, etc), to be deprived of


to be terrified, to be panic-stricken, to be demoralized


an affix indicating the nominative case when the subject is followed by a transitive verb


whatever be the case, nevertheless, apart from all other


a Hmar traditional shawl reserved for the warriors


by the mouth, literal term for words from the mouth


to take off (as a coat), to remove (as a cloth)


just at the right time or in the right place, in the nick of time, straight so as to hit the object aimed at


name shake, doing thing for the name-shake


right, accurate, true, proper, righteous, to be right


to wear in the belt (as a dagger), to keep in the belt (as money)


to completely squeeze liquid out of anything


a variety of edible plant found mostly in Manipur valley


the air, the atmosphere, gas, vacuum, space


to serve, to make to eat (mother to a child)


to humble one's self, to be humbled, to be modest in mind, to be humane, to think little for one self


the name of a small bar in a Hmar woman’s handloom over which the thread passes and by which certain threads of the warp are raised when necessary


a long knife used for cutting the edge of ‘changkuong’


ferocious, savage, to be ferocious, etc (like a dog); bald, bare


to attack, to fight, to assault (from a distance)


to go round, to pass by, to walk round about, to walk up and down in front of


water-pocket in rock formed by rushing current of stream or river


a kind of trap to catch bear, etc wherein a bait is kept on a loose platform and when the animal goes there it felt down and was pierced by sharp object place on the ground


to lie with a woman and ruin her spotlessness, to defeat, etc


death of a young baby (say less than a year) not covered under ‘hlamzui’


a variety of wild plant the leaf of which is used for Hmar traditional thatch roofing


to be cruel, vicious, bad, to be cruel, etc


completely broken hearted, total despair or agony


a handful of rice put aside by women for the Church before cooking for the family in the morning and evening


to part with, to leave, to separate, to divide, to asunder


to be helpless, in wilder with none to be on one’s side


a Meitei term for ‘addition after the original’


translator or interpreter (of words or speech)


a wooden object used for levelling wet soil on the embankment of wet paddy field


the final assault in games - reel or real life (derived from one of the latter but most severe and violent norwesters (storm or hurricane) of India and Bangladesh that synchronize with the heliacal setting of the Pleiades)


to offer a sacrifice to quiet one's mind, to arrange a small ceremony so as to console someone who has overcome a tough situation such as death or terrible accident, etc


killing of chicken by poor families who could not afford a four-legged animal as sacrifice and prayer for the soul of the death of their family members inside their house. The killed chicken is hanged upside down and so is the term


to bear, to bear the strain; collect, collecting


to turn up or lift up (as a coat sleeve, cloth, or any covering)


by force, without paying for (placed before the verb, eg. Pawngsuol = rape, pawng lak = taken by force)


an interrogative word and short form of ‘tu am?’ (who?); Tu am ka na - who am i?; Tu’m ka na - who am i?


to exercise, to put into practise, to habituate


a person incapacitated (or too old) to work and who has no one to support him or her


a homeless person, a wanderer, a vagabond, to be homeless, to wander, etc


the length of the inside of a Hmar house exclusive of the front porch


pleasing to the eye, interesting to watch


verbal prefix signifying going, generally on level ground, or from one place to another of equal elevation (va la rawh = to go and fetch)


one who brings out or puts out, a founder


tired out for want of food, feeling the pangs of hunger


a traditional wine or rice beer offered to public by the maternal uncles of a deceased


fought battle, war with, to be at enmity with, to prop up; to support from the bottom, to bear from the bottom; to go or be out (in the rain)


to do a thing anyhow even without seriousness


an expression of extreme pain or difficulty when one thought his own pain as that of others


a wild leaf used for roofing in traditional Hmar house


the term used by the legendary and Hmar Christian pioneer the late Reverend Thangngur to refer to Jesus Christ which literally means Heaven’s little child


to violently turn the trunk around randomly and restlessly


to proud with, to be proud with, on which one is proud


to overlap one another, to go by different roads and so miss one another


to taste, to test the taste of by eating a little


fidgety, restless, vexing, full of spirits (negative side)


when not expected, when unaware, unexpectedly


a bare precipice, a very steep and bare hillside


born again (a term originated and common with Christian faith)


very, really, exactly, the most; a superlative term (eg- a lien tak = biggest)


the sparse bamboo plait on which thatches are placed on Hmar traditional roofing


a patch of bamboos not to be jhumed, but preserved for building purposes


a portion of a bride price given to the elder sister of the bride if she is still unmarried


quiet, completely, entire; away, far away


to look out (as of a door), to look about one, to look upwards, to raise or lift the head


difference, to be different, more than others


to give power, to give authority, to vest, to empower, to authorise


drying things over a traditional Hmar fireplace


to tie together, to bind (man and woman)


an expression to do something with all seriousness


to be scattered hither thither, to be in complete chaos


the name of a plant (mussaenda roxburgii)


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui festival


a particular variety of rice that is usually heated and husked and eaten


to tremble, to shiver, to shudder, to shake


a Hindi term for a refine wood of two by three inches in size and about 16 feet in length


treasure, property, inheritance, treasure


to be beaten, to fall from power, to lose prestige, to be deposed, to lose power


to carry on the shoulder, or in the mouth (as dog)


to participate for work, to go out for a particular job


to band together, to join together, to unite


tired, exposed or subjected to friction or wear, and tear, to be tired, etc


a species of wild Rabbit that mostly lives on high cliffs and rocks


a Meitei originated term for a mixture of certain green vegetables and leaves to be eaten in raw


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui (by children)


the finer chaff and bran of rice after husking


to bandage, to wrap round, to cover, to brood over (as a fowl)


to tell of, to make known, to expose, to reveal, to announce


to flow, flow of any liquid (water, blood, etc)


husband of the eldest daughter of a family


to exalt, to praise, to give thanks, to recommend


pleasing to look at, pleasing for the eye


to offer a sacrifice when one is sick or the act of offering sacrifice to ensure good health


a container, a gourd, a vessel; to pierce, to stick in (as an arrow, etc)


a full moon night when the moon rises at a time when fowls return to their cage in the evening


much or a suffix to denote numbers (sawm lai zet an ni = they are ten in number)


a rain that falls during May (thlaphur) & June (thlado)


a thing, matter, material, stuff, substance, object


armour, arms, weapons, military equipment


to be careful, to be wary, to keep a good lookout, to take heed to one's self, careful


mound (of dug out soil), mound (of cow dung), etc


a sum of money given to ‘zuor’ in a Hmar wedding


a temporary raised wooden platform used in construction of house


to pull and stretch (an elastic, a rubber)


to submerge, to crowd round, to overflow


take from different place or location and gathered or compile at one place


to chew (as tobacco), to suck in the mouth, to retain in the mouth


dusk, the period after sunset and total dark


a Hindi originated term for craftsmen (in house construction) or carpenters


one given to raising objections, finding fault, etc


to get involve in someone else’ problem or issue uninvited


an elder brother or sister, one who is older in age; a term to refer to anyone older or out of respect


a collective work style in traditional village jhum works


the ribcage, the side (parts of human body)


partly digested food returned from the stomach for further chewing, cud


a Hmar’s indigenous curry cooked with sodium bicarbonate (juice extracted from ashes of the hearth in the traditional form) and fermented pork


a wart, a kind of troublesome lump or hard swelling which forms round an extracted thorn in hand or foot


a measurement from the tip of the middle finger to the opposite elbow with arms extended


name of an ominous bird whose cry is believed to be a bad omen


a sub clan under Hmar Lawitlang Hrangchal


a state of extreme lost or absence of requirements


Hmar traditional shawl or the name of a plaid cloth


a strong word expressing anger, scorn, etc


a small pond in wild flat forest or small valley


to be disgraced, to lose one's good name


a marriage celebration, a wedding reception


the biggest pre-Christian Hmar ritual performed by a successful warrior wherein one feed the whole village folks by killing a Mithun. The soul of those who have performed this ritual is believed to have direct access to heaven along with that of his wife


the name of a tree and its fruit which resembles a large bean (Parkia speciosa)


receive, to catch (as ball, etc) to take up (as spinning top)


a distance that can be covered in one day


sisters of the bride on her wedding day (mo unau nuhmeihai)


to be smart in doing things, prudent, wise, skilled


action done in a fast manner by one who is not big (anchawm zauh zauh means the one that jumps is not big)


to refute, to put to silence after argument


name of a variety of fish, the mahseer fish


to be running out of several things, to lack


a measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger


a tributary village, a small outlying village, a hamlet


to enjoy pleasure, to revel, to enjoy luxury


an unnatural death including accident, suicide, murder, etc


to go on a journey, to visit a distant village


a dried gourd in which "sathu" is stored (near fireplace)


to mourn for the dead, to miss someone who is no more


to sleep with, to copulate with, to have sexual intercourse with


crooked, bent, to be crooked, etc, a bend


to progress, to move forward, to advance


separating the fine rice and the husk in a "leidar" (sieve)


to make judgement randomly in extravagant manner without any thought of cost-cutting measure and parsimony


the leaves of beans and a staple vegetable


to set aside, to set apart, to place separately


to reach, to reach to, to amount to, to succeed, to be elected


hard to bear (as pain), difficult (to accomplish, to say, etc)


to take the name of another, to call one's self by another's name


to have or show mercy, to be lenient, soft and relaxed


giving out a wet paddy field job to someone else for a fee


to be pleasing in the sight of (others or someone else)


a place on the outskirt of a traditional Hmar village where village folks use to rest and wait for each other before proceeding to their jhumlands or return from it


to thin out (as plants), to kill off, to decimate


to beat to death, beaten to death, to cause death due to beating


plain and simple; without any other added extra items


certainly, without fail; obligatory, unavoidable, inevitable


sound (of extreme noise further determined by the size of the subject)


to drill a hole, to bore, to make a hole through


an expression of things that are not in large groups but scattered like stars in the early morning


ordinary, common, any sort of, every sort of, all sorts of


the time when a thing is at its best, the time of greatest prosperity


to be different, to bear no comparison to one another


teenager, adolescent or the time of life between childhood and puberty


those abnormally stunted or slow in growing (caught by ‘lailenhuoi’)


comfortable, pleasant, pleasurable, comfortable, etc


a ritual performed by a traditional pre-Christian priest so as to cleanse the unclean


to be able to somehow manage to convince someone


the mainland Indian women apparels, dress


sorry to let it go, that is being missed, regrettable, regretful


sweet dream (or a parting word similar to ‘bye-bye’ expressed in the evening or night)


to shine in the eyes and prevent one from seeing plainly


without enmity, without bitterness, without hate, with peace


to turn upside down, to capsize, to turn over


interest charged by moneylenders, banks (on loans), etc


to consult together, to reason together, to ask advice of one another


to entrust with, to give into one's keeping


name of a wild plant almost similar to arum and the tuber, stem and buds of the ‘male’ plant is edible albeit with certain specific and intricate process; another name of ‘chaldawng’


a traditional Hmar village waiting area on the road to jhum fields


to speak with half-truth, to speak jokingly


to impale oneself using sharp and pointed materials


a Meitei originated term for measurement for paddy equivalent to 2 ‘sangphai’ and approximately 40 kilogram


name of a small insect with offensive smell


to fire (volley of gun) when nearing the village after returning from successful hunting


to talk, to have a talk, to converse with one another


large, eminent, great, to be large, etc, to increase in size


a short period of time like the time taken by fowl for mating


the time during May (thlaphur) & June (thlado) and an important period for a Hmar jhum cycle


the name of a creeper the roots and leaves of which are used to intoxicate fishes; various roots, leaves, etc, used for intoxicating fish


the name of a variety of birds with long beaks


a large pestle for pounding rice, a pestle


name of cockroach like black insect living in water


simple, plain, to be plain, to be without adornment, without common sense, foolish, blunt


to practise austerity, to deprive one's self of anything


to look up straight, to turn the face straight upwards


simultaneously, together, at the same time


a knot of hair, to put the hair up into a knot


an item collected by a man on the death of his ‘tupa’ for memory


stranded with no other means to move ahead


water, juice, an egg, to melt, to lay an egg


the sambar deer, gazelle, stag, roebuck, hart


a Hindi originated term for ‘go-down’ or storehouse or store room


the final assault in games - reel or real life (derived from one of the latter but most severe and violent norwesters (storm or hurricane) of India and Bangladesh that synchronize with the heliacal setting of the Pleiades)


a special meat prepared for the elders in a Hmar community feast


to rise (sun), to arrive (time or event)


to hold or be with till death but refer to tend to someone (parents) till death


full of grudge and demanding (like baby)


a ghost, a devil spirit believes to be the most genial and friendly but strong


to trace out, to investigate and find the logical conclusion


to be meticulous, particular in all respect


the one who is mainly responsible for a particular job


to trade, to do business, to buy and sell


to think, to believe, to trust, to have faith in


the place where roads, etc, meet, a branch road, an offshoot


one who protect, defend, guard, shield, etc


to properly give birth and brought up a child


a murderer or adulterer who submit himself to the village chief so as to escape from revenge by the victim party


to work, plan or scheme for the good or benefit of oneself


to pour out slowly, to filter, to pour off (as water)


one who looks here and there and change his behave accordingly


to put in (to anything long and narrow such as bottle, etc.), to load (as gun)


name of a Hmar kindred (unau-suopui) tribe settled in Assam


a must, without fail, by all means (I hung tei tei ding a nih = you must come by all means)


to cry as an animal, to chirp, to mew, etc; to nag, to talk a great deal


a vessel (mostly tin cup) for measuring rice (to be cook)


spotted, striped, of various colours, tattooed, spotted, etc


to divide or separate one kind from another


moving out from the main house to a new one to be a separate family mostly by a son after marriage and children


handicapped, disabled (differently able)


to watch (over), protect, prevent from harm


experience, by experience, after coming across


to cut off (edge of thatch, bamboo stump, etc.), to massacre


to be perennial, to be permanent, everlasting


to bind, to put on the head (as a turban)


to put one on top of another, to put on top


vicious, cruel, destructive, to be vicious, to be brutal, etc


with great difficulty, with great personal cause or sacrifice


the matriarch, the senior and older female member (of family, society, etc)


to remove, to move from one place to another


a Hindi term for a refine wood of four by four inches in size and about 16 feet in length


one’s assignment or job done from morning daily


many children, a family with many children


to lie down (as animals), to recline with the head raised


euphemistic way of speaking of ‘dying’, to die


the slack time after the jhum is cut or when the weeding is over or after harvest


a line, a scratch, to draw a line, to scratch


to pull or drag into a stooping or bending position


poetical term for offspring or one’s child


abstinence, to be temperate, to restrain one's self, to desist


that which is in the open, not hidden, or in the interior


lime, cooked lime pasted on betel leaf and eaten along with nut


make to eat (mother to a child), to put or stuff (food) into each other’s mouth


a sudden cry or remark of expressing surprise or strong emotion or pain


to swell, to come into a bump, an excrescence, a swelling, protuberance, bump


worthy of congratulation, worthy of being rejoiced with


a sub clan under Hmar Lawitlang Hrangchal


the queen of ‘leithra’ or a species of white ant


to embrace someone like a wrestler holds opponents


in an instant, instantaneously, in the twinkling of an eye


unanimously, with one mind, with one desire


orderly or a personal staff of an officer who is engaged mostly in domestic work


a village crier whose duty it is to make known the orders of the chief


to pass on from one to another, to hand over


to stand up for or by one another, to help


a portable chicken cage usually meant for young chicken


a hole in a traditional Hmar bedpost to serve as a receptacle of small articles


expression of something which is not at all believable or acceptable or a total lie


round, to entwine (as creeper), to bind, to twist or wind round


land of the ‘vais’, a term used to refer to land beyond the Hmarland


which is always available or present like the tails in ‘saser’


a show of disapproval to an individual, a humiliation by public


the name of a constellation comprising of seven stars


to give added pressure to hasten or hurry up


a long thread or wire attached from a pole to another on the next day of death of someone in a village


a particular form or pattern of bamboo fence


grace, love, mercy, kindness, compassion, sympathy


leftovers, remaining, which is yet to be done or not yet accomplish


to finish (paying a debt), to complete, to accomplish; to set (sun), to occur (famine), to fall on (difficulties, worries)


the name of a large edible spider that has a strong web


to get lost on the way, to be confused with the road that leads to one’s destination (n) one who has gone astray and turned negative


to stare at, to look at steadfastly, to stare


to play or while away in muddy water (like a buffalo)


a farewell, a sent off, a farewell program


very far (hla deu a nih = it is very far)


farsighted, to have thought for the future


to ponder upon two things, to consider two options


a slenderer area or point than the main area, a slender or thinner area


at a profit, cheaply, to increase (as grain)


to put up the framework of a house, to begin to build a house


to crouch, to be crumpled, to be drawn together, to be contracted, to be shrunken


the bosom, the lap, the space between the chin and knees


greedy, avaricious, rapacious, voracious, grasping


to boil, boiling (water or liquid substance)


in good or in bad time, in pleasant or unpleasant time


to send from one to another, to forward, to send on


strength, energy, vigour, power, strength


to conceal, to hide, to keep it as secret


the Manipur river (the part in Myanmar) which have an important place in the history of the Hmars


smooth, to be smooth; prosper, successful, satisfactory; to have a safe and sound journey


name of small edible fruit bearing wild plant


always, frequently, often, that signals many


scoff because of wounds, appalled, horrified, scorn and cursing


to agree or accept without much consideration


to be in love with one another, to love one another, to copulate


to shoot with the pellet bow, to spring up or fly back (as a springy stick, etc)


the spirit or ghost of weather believed to have existed by the pre-Christian Hmars. A particular ritual known as ‘intei’ was performed so as to please this spirit when there is drought or too much rain in a particular year


to clean up using stick etc, to sweep clean ceiling, roof, etc


to have a feeling of fullness in the stomach, to be sufficient, to be enough, sufficient, adequate, to eat and have a full stomach


the power of fascinating, charming, or getting power over


a cave regarded to be wherefrom the Komrem peoples originated


to give up coming or going for a time, to not come or go for a time


a portion of paddy and animal foreleg given to the Chief of a village by his subjects as compulsory tax


to be engaged in doing something, to be in an incomplete condition


petty, small, trifling, tiny, trivial, insignificant


to live to see one’s great great grandchildren


the tubes which run underground from the bellows to the forge in a smithy


unit (pa, sawm, za, sang = unit, ten, hundredth, thousand)


to make supplication for, to pray to God


to melt; to deep fry and extract the oil (pork fat, etc)


a place where something is grown in large or big number


not concern, not care (more on the negative aspect)


western, towards west, westward; lower side, downward


to ask a smaller price higher than the right value, to offer a price than the one quoted


advance preparation, to plan in advance, a pre-plan


the painful and agonizing chasm felt by the near and dears of one who died


in a position to inherit a property, use to describe closeness by blood


the bud of wild banana plant that also serves as vegetable


to scoop up, to gather up (small particles by hand)


a load, a burden (v) to carry a burden, carrying a heavy load physically


to sprinkle, to splash, to sow, to throw


to act as the father or head of the house


to be stuck, bound, joined, or tied together


the name of a weed with sticky flowers which adhere to one’s clothes, etc


to steal and kill an animal or fowls, etc for eating or sacrifice, to murder secretly, to assassinate


to agree with or to, to consent, to permit


persuade, persuading (with something on offer)


showing the point finger as a sign of warning


in all respect, in full, a word to confirm or suffix complete (‘kim tlap’ = complete in all respect)


to give or gift to for keeping or rearing (of female birds, animals)


a man impregnating a woman but refusing to marry her


a good year, a year of plenty or prosperity with good harvest


glory, anything which tends to one's greatness


to stamp something (on a wall, etc), to button


twice running, one after another, running in succession


to content oneself, to make content with


unreliable, untrustworthy, diluted, polluting it


to claw, to take up in the fist or fingers


name of a variety of weed with soft flower


to have a price, to be worth, to be worthwhile, advantageous


scarcity of plant or crops due to pest or insects or unaccounted occurrences (eg, mautam, aithing intam, thing intam, etc)


a variety of non-edible wild mushroom with unbearable pungent smell


one who is good at talking, one who makes others happy with their words


a shawl spread by a girl for a boy to signal to him that she wishes to marry her (the boy will take home the shawl if he agrees to the proposal)


licking the outer parts or surface (as done by a dog on a bone)


a temporary hut in the jungle to spend the night in


to get possessions, to be wealthy or rich


sound produced by cymbals, resounding cymbals


the name of a tree, the bud of which is edible, snowflake aralia


an expression of gathering of large peoples, insects or animals, collective appearance of big number of crops or plants


one who is great and whose greatness need no further mention


a young boy’s toy associated with wind breeze


the sprout of cane (an edible and pricey curry item)


ending word almost similar with ‘be’ in English


to be parted like a plaited hair; a poetical term meant for separation


to stick, to keep, to detain, to keep hold of


name of a variety of insect that makes loud noise


name of Thadou speaking dominated and influenced conglomeration of tribe


to sprout, to come to life (like a plant)


a butt for holding pigs' foods made of a hollowed-out of tree trunk


to raise/rasing of warriors’ chant or cry


to send for it, to give or send a message


to connect, to join to, to subscribe, to affix


to pinch a small object using thumb nails on one end and the point or middle finger nails on the other end


to conceive, to have in one's inside or below the skin, to digest


adverbial or causative suffix to make one do something, to cause, to let, to allow, to permit (in fe tir = to let go)


a storey, a tier; one above another, from one to another in succession


the beginning of age of human civilization


to shift from one village to another with whole family and one’s belongings


to remember vividly sound or voices which once heard


to be a home bird, to be able to sit only by the fireplace (old or infirm person)


the term used to refer to the Muslims of Manipur which again is derived from Bengal or Bangal


name of one of the eight dances performed during Sikpui festival


to eat or to get through a lot (of work, food)


those who obey God’s word (it is for the first time used to refer the new Christian converts)


those believes to be harmed by ‘phung’; an epilepsy, a person subject to epileptic fits, to have an epileptic fit


a sudden occurrence (like natural calamities), an emergency situation


to plant, to set up by burying one end in the ground


name of a variety of fish, the golden fish


fire, a trivet, stones used to support a pot over the gravel


to have ill temper, ill tempered, irritable, to be ill-tempered, etc


to pitch upon one in particular, to single out one or blame one person for what was done by many


to support (from below), to hold, to catch hold of


a platform or stone erected in memory of the dead


to discretely wait for something (such as animal or enemy, etc)


to abhor, to abominate, to detest, to feel disgusted at, to loathe


the edge or border of a jhum just beyond the cultivated area


a traditional ritual performed by family members of the death after one lunar month


a particular item in a Hmar woman hand woven loom


the name of a trap which crushes its catches between two logs


poetical term for a woman getting married


a sub clan under Hmar Lawitlang Hrangchal


obstructive, in the way, to be obstructive, etc


a term used by a woman to refer to her brothers and cousin brothers’ children


name of a thorny and poisonous plant usually found in the aftermath of a burnt jhum


not yet ripe, astringent, rough (in taste)


to be dissatisfied with oneself, to feel oneself small when compared with others


shoulder part of an animal reserved for village chiefs


to hit something accidentally by the toe, to kick the foot against something


battling the painful and agonizing chasm felt by the near and dears of one who died, a deep and painful mourning


double of ‘trep’; nearly, almost, on the verge of


after, later in time, after having finished, afterwards, subsequent to


to have the teeth on edge through eating acid fruit


to wake, to help one rise, to cause to rise


a Meitei originated term for water chesnut (found in lake and low lying marshes and also cultivated in ponds)


to carry under the arm or on the hip, to have under one's wing


like a 'siel' under the rain; a phrase used to mean 'facing or bearing hardship stubbornly'


to be scare or afraid (to the point of a tickling skin)


to move away from in a discreet manner, to escape, to run away secretly


to be better (after being ill), to be in better position, well-off


those who search for daily livelihood, daily wage earners


land sheltered from the sun's rays and is continually damp


a panicky situation when one suddenly faces problem


empty, hollow, naked, to be empty, hollow, naked


the secondary items of a curry, the leftovers of food


the first evacuation of the bowels after birth


to be contend with one’s share or situation or status or position


the dust particles prepared to lit a fire; saw dust


to be partial, to be prejudiced in favour of


to plunder, to ravage, to annihilate, to destroy, to put out of existence


a young widower, a divorcee man (opposite gender of ‘nuthlawi’)


the name of a bamboo partition in a Hmar house beyond the master’s bed


expressing or showing serious concern, to think much of, to value highly


to smell of, to give forth a smell, to be strong smelling


the cogs on the rollers of a cotton ginning machine


to forage or loiter at a distance from others or peers


the feeling of detestation or loathe of a critically ill or a very dirty person


to let to break up and disperse, to cause to break up (a meeting) and go home


name of wild grass that is use as roofing materials in traditional Hmar house


name of a variety of insect that makes loud noise


to crack the knuckles, to sprain the wrist


to put the foot through, to fall through


to leave, to abandon, to forsake, to leave to one's own devices, to leave in the lurch, to let alone


a spinster, a bachelor who has passed his prime age


to overflow, to go or be out of sight behind anything


to forsake, to refrain from helping, to excommunicate, to cease to care for


the navel, the umbilicus; time, season, place about


to admire, to appreciate, to be pleased with


barren, impotent, childless, to be barren


a traditional marriage that takes place with the consent of both the families


to prepare, to get ready, to make preparation, to make arrangements


a portion of a bride price given to the girl’s father’s sister


having no fixed principles, unstable mind


make up (out of one’s own mind) to compose, to improvise


to be all present like the different compartment of a citrus fruit


to run a race, to race, to compete in a running race


to anger, to make one angry, to provoke, to offend


a torch (usually made of some dry split bamboo), a firebrand


not at all, in no way, under no circumstances


the eaves of a house, the verandah, the porch


to disturb somebody, to give a repercussion effect to somebody


the name given to all such musical instruments such as piano, accordion, etc


to be pleased, to be contented, happy, satisfying


to itch, to be pungent, to be hot (as pepper), pungent, hot


to judge or form an opinion according to appearance


the one who cook (especially meat) in a community feast


the part of the breast above the sternum, sometimes applied also to the part where the sternum is situated


to physically arrive and request to join


a spreadsheet made of split bamboo used to dry paddy over the fireplace


with force, vehemently, with one’s might, as hard as possible


a wild fruit or flower visited by flock of birds for food


a drought, a long spell of hot rainless weather


for the purpose of (fak ding= for eating)


a mourning program arranged for those who could not go or reach the house of the death before the burial ritual


to follow one another in succession without a break (so that by the time one is finished with another is on hand)


to be as one is, to be independent of others


the name of an evil spirit believes to sometimes take possession of a dead body and cause it to speak and move


to thresh and level off, to level the surface, to roll over and smoothen


speech, conversations, words, discourses


the bottom of anything, the posterior, the mouth of a river, the buttock


name of a noose trap for catching wild boar, deer, etc


a contrivance made by boys to hit people on the leg as they walk along the path


to ferment rice and brew with yeast in its pot


expression of complete worthlessness and unfit for any assignment


the wife of Tlumte (of a Hmar fairy tale)


to have a purulent discharge from the ear


a four-cornered mat made from split bamboo or cane and used for drying edible items of smaller particles in the sun or above hearth


to spent all what one has even to the point of selling off one’s pig – a domesticated animal almost every household have in traditional Hmar village family


the lower part of the stomach of a four-legged animal


a heavy rain with dark cloud that usually falls in the month of May


deep, full of meaning, multi-dimensional


a measurement of paddy produced in a harvest wherein the apex of conical heap of the paddy is of same level with a gun


exposing or defaming oneself due to one’s carelessness


cheap, low in price, inexpensive; sticky


the main short and big pole that supports a Hmar ‘raised’ village indigenous house


to place anything long in a more or less horizontal position either on the ground or with one end on the ground and the other slightly raise


to be in love with one another, to be lovers (boy and girl)


tired, worn out, exposed or subjected to friction of wear and tear, to be tired, etc


to give a verdict, to pass sentence, to wind up a case, to settle a case


to be competent, to be capable of, to have the strength, to be able to


to carry, to draw (water); to pay a fine or tax


to eat or drink or enjoy in a joyous and festive manner


a sub clan under Banzang clan of Hmar Darngawn


a cabinet member of a traditional Hmar village administration


a chrysalis, a cocoon in which paddy seeds are stored


live embers, a live coal, a red hot piece of wood or coal


a Hmar traditional shawl (used to cover ‘thirdam’)


the long tail feathers of a Cuckoo bird clipped in a Hmar warrior’s head gear


that which protect, defend, guard, shield, etc


an adverbial affix denoting 'causing' or 'begetting' (eg. lungsietum thlak= pitiable)


to kick out behind, to hammer in (as a nail), to nail


clothes worn for jhum works, working clothes


an indigene, an original settler, indigenous person


in the habit of being exceeding than usual


there, there in that place, there near you


exceedingly, very, certainly, great, much, many


the poisonous hairs of certain caterpillars


kick, to knock against with the lower part of the leg or with foot (eg, football)


odd, petty and miscellaneous, small, tiny, little


a post, pole, beam (of house, lamp, electric, etc)


to deny admission, to forbid to come, pass, to not welcome or receive


a strip made of split bamboo or cane used by woman for carrying load in a paikawng or basket


a verbal prefix denoting motion downwards


the small pieces that come out when something is cut by knife, axe, etc


a handful of rice put aside by women for the Church before cooking for the family in the morning and evening


damp, to be or get damp, well-immersed with any liquid


to feel for food, a desire for food after illness or without it for some time


name of an edible wild fruit of the strawberry family


a particular good flat place near Senvon village in Manipur use as ‘bawlhmun’ in pre-christian era where fowls are killed as a sacrifice


a pre-Christian Hmar ritual wherein fire in every hearth is put off and a particular leaf furled at the entrance of each house. Another leaf was furled on the main entrance of the village to signal that no outsider is allowed to enter the village on that solemn day


to restore back to normal by words, action or sacrifice


name of a Hmar kindred (unau-suopui) tribe settled in Tripura


to bear the consequences or blame of anything, to offer or to be ready to bear the consequences or blame of anything


to order, to place an order by post (later on saccharin or sweets)


to move on one side (as the body or head), to turn head, to lean on one side (as body or head), to be lopsided


the front porch of a Hmar traditional house


to disapprove of, to not like; to be dissatisfy with


name of insect found in large swarm and that feeds on edible leaves


contribution of money or other items towards a bereaved family


a place of safety, a place free from danger


a variety of non-edible mushroom with unbearable pungent smell


to answer nature’s call, to want to relieve stool


a Bible text one chose for a sermon or discourse


to brush, to rub, to blow about violently


pure, no adulteration, no other added substance


an open or empty space where large people can gather, a large mat or a threshing floor where paddy are manually crashed


combing operation done by security forces to arrest outlawed militants


to search extensively, to seek out for thoroughly


giving respect, giving honour or reverence


still-born, to give birth to a dead offspring


an elevated wooden platform temporarily constructed by hunters to wait for their targets


short in length or height (women skirt, petticoat, etc)


a measurement equal to the length of an axe; a conical heap of rice the apex of which will be level with the head of an axe held high above the head of an ordinary-sized man


a government servant of grade IV ranks derived from Meitei word


to investigate, to track, to trace; to kick; to tie in a weaver's knot, to tie


one who is adventurous in the jungle, one who is fond of life in the jungle


the rain which falls soon after or during harvest (November-December)


large and well built, robust in work and food habit


to sheet with anger after feeling defeated


to know and understand just one thing and ignoring all other related issues


wearing on the head rounded way (like a piece of cloth)


to let go, to release, to see off, to farewell, to part way


to listen, to obey, to take notice of, to think, to consider, to wait for, etc


to be prevalent (as a disease), to stroll, to walk, to take a walk, to float (in the air), to fly about


the patriarch, the strongest and most prominent male member (of a family, group, etc)


a bamboo or other receptacle for holding liquids


a distance reachable by foot before noon


to sit up at night with (especially sick person)


to merge into one, to join together, to run into one another (as rivers), to gather together


one who is in the habit of stealing, one who often steals


shy, modest, bashful, ashamed, to be shy, etc


rape committed by more than one person, a mass rape


to appear, to be visible, to show oneself


a traditional hand-woven man’s strap bag


experience, by experience, after coming across practically


to hear, to feel, to understand, to know, to surmise, to remember


unlawful, wrong, to be unlawful or wrong


words whose meaning can be understood only when some hints are given


a non-edible fruit bearing plant the fruit of which is use by women to smoothen cotton yarn


a type of traditional Hmar marriage almost similar to child marriage


to do one's self harm, to make one's self disliked


to desert in order to join another; to join another party after deserting one's own


a main pillar inside a house supporting the ridge pole


to send from one to another, to forward, to send on


a state in NE India where the indigenous peoples (see also ‘Rengpuiram’)


to repeatedly or continuously give pressure to hasten or hurry up


a cyclone, a typhoon, a hurricane, a tornado


to lie on the face, to kneel and bow down in reverence; forward on the face


searching something which is rare or not easily available or founded


a measurement of land of approximately 2400 square feet or 0.0551 acres and which is prevalent among Hmars of Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, etc


the joints of the two human limbs below the private parts


custom, way, manner, habit, constitution


to give up coming or going for a time, to not come or go for a time


to wait for someone else, to wait to be invited


to be over possessive on ones belonging or property


report, rumour, news or tidings (which one hears indirectly)


the pots used to cook or store pig’s food


to collect a debt from, to ask for anything owing


to send an ambassador (the term is mostly used when a boy’s family sent their ‘mak/makpa’ to a girl’s family for marriage proposal – in good times. And in bad times, when a family sent someone, usually again, their ‘mak/makpa’ to another family to resolves some disputes. The ‘palais’ usually go with a pot of wine in the past, and tea in the present days)


the scale or skin of "saphu" – a medicinal but illegal trade item


a kind of water-brash with copious flow of saliva


a three-winged tree bark planted near the front door of 'anchongpa' on the day of his 'sesun inchong'


all of a sudden, to give no time for preparation


to be cut to the heart so as to cause great anger


a piece of cloth used to avoid heat while cooking


to borrow (when the identical article is to be returned)


to straight ahead regardless of the obstacles and dog barks on the roadside


the term used to refer to Bengalese or mainland Indians who are mostly thin and tall


a measurement of paddy produced in a year - the apex of the conical heap of which will be level with the tips of a spear


crushed to the maximum, crushed to pieces


to meet one another, to come across one another


some other prior-engagement which makes one unable to attend an appointment


soot caused by the action of fire on pots


incompatible, incapable of combination (as different drugs, etc), to disagree with one another


one who knows very less, ignorant about what is going around


to cover oneself with sack clothes or gunny bag clothes, a biblical occurrence of total sadness and regret


to keep or make alive, to save, to bring to life


a short length of bamboo used as cooking vessel, drinking cup


to shut, to close (as a cut, mouth, etc)


one who is slow and reluctant to stand up and work


a syringe like play things of young boys


a cage or enclosure wherein mentally unsound and those who can cause harm to other peoples are kept; a prison cell


a variety of non-edible mushroom with unbearable pungent smell


unpleasantness, discomfort, hardship, misery


eat on the sly or secretly but used more to meant ‘corrupt practices’


the buds of an arum, the young leaves and stalks of edible arums


kind, thoughtful, considerate, unselfish


nevertheless, yet, still, but, notwithstanding


scarcity of a particular plant due to disease or some destruction and obliteration


the name of edible leaves, east Indian glory bower


a typical hairstyle of straight lower portion


pretty, to be pretty, beautiful, exalted, honoured, to be fit or proper


to treat someone free of cost (with eatables or things)


a gay, a sodomite, sodomy, one who practises sodomy


prosperous, having a high and open situation


to claim, to snatch up (as goods when house is on fire)


a type of traditional Hmar marriage almost similar to child marriage


a temporary storing place of yet to be husked paddy


a widow, divorced woman living by herself or with her children


dark or dull in colour, to get or be dark or dull


one of the oldest Hmar traditional shawl


the front side roof end of a traditional Hmar thatch house which usually is a favourite spot for swallow and other birds


time, times (voi tamtak, voi khat, voi hni, voi thum, etc)


to swallow the wrong way, or so as to choke, to catch one's breath


to die, to be dead, expire; extinguished, to burn out, to die out (fire)


different, separate, another, separately


to act violently, to try and push out each other violently


real, true, direct in line, of pure lineage


to put down (as a load upon the ground) to rest against or upon


the time when the English made expedition to Hmar areas of Manipur and Mizoram in the late 19th century


point, end, tip, prow; the upper lip, bill, beak


decline, refusing to accept a duty or responsibility entrusted upon one’s shoulder, to deny oneself, to excuse oneself from


a Hindi originated term for fare or rent, etc


to pioneer, to go before, to lead the way, to take the lead (in work, etc.)


without much ado or grumble or hesitation


to single out individually against each other


poetical term for "hmel" (face, appearance, shape, form, figure)


bold, brave, valiant, daring, heroic, fearless


name of a variety of shrub with not edible fruit


to freeze, to turn into ice, to get frozen


fat, stout, fleshy, plump, obese, grease


eat on the sly or secretly but used more to meant ‘corrupt practices’


a fighting with fire arms, an exchange of fire, a battle


name of a Hmar kindred (unau-suopui) tribe settled in Manipur


a British’s imposed tax system to the tribal peoples of Manipur wherein villagers in the hills had to contribute money to feed touring officials and other employees of the Government in their areas


to live to see one’s great grand children


agarwood, eaglewood (use in incense, perfume and small carvings)


as a matter of precaution, as a precautionary measure


a form or style of cooking chicken (see also ‘ar awm’)


to purpose, to intend to, to try to, to attempt to


that refers to those who eat all what they have instead of preserving it for another time like a bat that cannot set aside a winged ant but eats it up all at once


an expression of extreme pain or difficulty when one thought his own pain as that of others


a treaty or ratification of peace after war


somewhere, in a certain place, somewhere or other


brave, persevering, able to suffer privations, persistent


relative by blood or lineage, kith and kin


lock, to lock; to oppose, to contradict, to act contrary to


respectful, honourable, reverence begetting, respectable


to be fast and active (in slated task in hand), fast to reach


to look into, to spy into, to look at, to examine; wear or wrap (around the waist)


to explain, to cause to know, to show how to do


to be skilled in palmistry, one skilled in palmistry


to be with no parents and uncles and aunts or brothers and sisters or cousins and relatives


a childish character that comes with age, to be in one's old age


doing something on behalf of someone else


the name of a species of bamboo also known as ‘chatte’


a bride price meant for the maternal grandfather or uncle of the bride paid in the initial stage


that is left unfinished, remaining, left to be done


poetical term for palatial and big house


a sub clan under Hmar Lawitlang Hrangchal


a sub clan under Hmar Khawbung Punte clan


the soap-nut tree (the fruit is used for washing and as a preventative against leech bites)


assail or set upon when at a disadvantage position


an exclamation denoting surprise and fear


worthy of holding it dear, worthy of to being attached to


a not up to the mark rice beer or fermented soya


to divide the bride price when arranging a separation by mutual consent


to migrate from one place or village to another


to prevaricate, to lie, to keep anything back, to suppress, to conceal


a period immediately after the death of a family member


name of a small animal resembling a marten


to have a family encumbered with children, a family with many young children


a petty thief, to be given to stealing, one who is prone to stealing petty things, a likely thief


self-opinionated, one who only likes to go on his own will


name of edible fruit (also called ‘sarzuk’


to take after, to resemble (parents or elder by younger and not vice-versa)


a mourning program arranged in the absence of the dead body


a traditional ritual performed on the first anniversary of the deaths


brazen-faced, to be brazen-faced, to put a bold face upon anything


a sub clan under Banzang clan of Hmar Darngawn


the name of a certain kind of bamboo plaiting and cloth-weaving


name of a conglomeration of Kom and its sister tribes of Manipur


to be of the same age group, to go about together


what a person or man is, the character of a person


to make a booming sound in water with the hands


a baby in need of adequate mother’s milk


a form or style of cooking chicken wherein the meat stuffed in a small pot is cooked in the water of a bigger pot


to be complete in all respect just like the three head stone slap of a Hmar hearth


to kill and be killed as a consequence to


to beat or thrash to the point that the victim falls down


on the contrary, instead, on the other side


a dire situation when one just sit idle not knowing what to do or say


the main thread or rounded wire or chain of a rotating machine


to get ready, to make, to construct, to prepare


forever and ever, from the beginning, from time immemorial, eternally


use to denote a person’s belonging or position


painful, hurtful, boisterous, scorching, intense


to destroy wilfully, to torture, to ill-treat, to mutilate, to handle, to work at


good, well, fine, advantageous, beneficial, well


a small spoon made for scooping ‘sathu or sithu’ - a Hmar traditional fermented pork or sesame


to assemble, to call to assist, to mobilise, to call in for help


a hollow tube or bamboo used to flare up the fire by blowing from the mouth


to clear the throat; to give or send signal


a Hindi originated term for land document issued by government


a variety of small but very hot chilly, the pimento


hard pressed, wretched, mistreated, cruel bondage


a young man, a bachelor, unmarried grownup man


to dare, to be prepared (to do anything); to include, to take in


a lesser form of ‘puonlaisen’ for young girls


having a taste like meat, maize, bread, vegetables, etc


a sacrificial post upon which the skull of animals is hanged


the name of a creeper used for poisoning fish


powder, scurf, (n) powdery, finely powdered, floury


the stage when one fall flat after heavy or too much drink of wine or alcohol; to die, to breathe one’s last


a Hmar traditional shawl worn by both men and women


that falls upon, to come upon (negative)


a spreaded bamboo planted on the head side of a death body


a grandson, a sister's son, a husband's sister's son, a paternal aunt's son


neglect, not attentive, not taking care of, not giving attention to


a poetical term used to refer to one’s lover


to be ruined, to be completely lost, to cease to exist, to come to nought, to perish


an attempt to sexually exploit a woman in her husband’s absence


place worthy of living, stay, rest or wait


a creeper, the roots of which are used to poison fish


to stay in the night, to spend the night


a small hillock or mound between two hills (Pre-Christian Hmars believed that these small mounds have an occupant or evil spirits and therefore offer sacrifice so as to please or not displease it)


rights, one’s rights, privileges, human rights


pulling each other (like in ‘tug of war’)


the name of a small stinging fly, the bite of which is painful


a measurement equal to the width from the thumb to the tip of middle or ring fingers


inviting neighbours and friends for one’s jhum or other jobs


one is in the know how, a well-informed person


the lower end of the spine, the hind back


a dispute, a legal issue, a complaint, a dissension


stiff, strong, inflexible, rigid, paralysed (of human)


the ‘eye-fly’ - a tiny creature which persistently hovers in front of the eye


a notice of marriage proposal pasted on the notice board of a chapel (that has to be intact for a certain period of time so as the wedding to take place)


to lit fire at ‘harmei’ outside one’s house which signals that there is a community feast or family events with feast in the house


a new shoot, the pinnacle, the high point


to dry to roast, to scorch or air in the sunshine


to do things besides the main part, along with, as well


evidently, certainly, clearly, correctly, plainly


unselfish, self-denying, preserving, etc.


loose motion, watery diarrhoea, to have diarrhoea


religious, conscientious, punctilious, conservative or zealous for one's own customs, to observe or keep religiously


the sting (of bee, etc), the pus (of a boil), etc


a suffix to denote ‘not’ or anything in the negative


the name of a plant the shoots of which incline towards the sun, sunflower


to bear and endure the pain till it is over


to be generous, one who is being generous


a mound, raised ground, the brow of a hill or incline


anything used for sharpening knives or sharp objects


a Meitei originated term for the first (of the day)


to grind smoothly, to plunder to the maximum


a lake in Myanmar side of Indo-Myanmar border believed in pre-Christian Hmar faith to be passed by the spirits of the dead on their way to "mithi khuo", the abode of the deaths


one who is always active and ready to stand up work


those living in the opposite front of one’s house


to think oneself wise; to be proud of one’s own ability


to connive at, to pretend not to know, to overlook intentionally


grandmothers and grandfathers, forefathers, ancestors


to roll up in the hand to be made round in shape


name of a Hmar kindred (unau-suopui) tribe settled in Manipur and Barak valley areas of Assam


to lean on, something on which one leans


a staple food or principal food that upon which one depends for sustenance


to tie up anything small in the corner of a cloth


to beat rapidly (as drum), to fire from a gun uninterrupted for a while


the various types of a single juice, sap, pus


a small valley, a ravine, drain or drainage


name of insect that settles on tree barks


to make no reply, to give no answer; to disagree with


to hollow out, to make a hole or hollow, to carve


the name of a tree the wood of which is used to make charcoal for gunpowder and the fruits eaten


a divorced man or a widower or an old bachelor or a man living all alone away from his family


diligent, having no hesitation on any job at hand, serious and painstaking in in one’s work


to follow-on, to carry on, to continue, to pursue


a singular verbal ending (hung ta la – come/single)


to quell, to put a stop to (quarrel, etc)


missing one’s lover in a desperate manner


scorched badly by the fire, burnt, to scorch badly, to burn


according to calculation, reckoning, or guess


meeting of two individual or other living things


a person who is not normal or below average


to cause disturbance, to throw into confusion or disorder


faint, to be sort of breath, to have difficulty in breathing


a measurement equal to the length of the closed fist or fingers (about 4 inches) and the term used to measure the size of pig, wild boar etc


a particular form or pattern of bamboo fence


to move, to shift, etc (from one place to another)


to paste, to stick, to add to, addition; to be stung by a bee or poisonous leaf


to run out of rice to be dried in fireshelf


to be heartbroken, to be sad, to be hurt in the feelings


to shrink, to crouch, to be crumpled, to be drawn together, to be contracted, to be shrunken (as the finger, arm or leg)


to force or pull open, to force an opening through, to hatch (as eggs)


to make a mistake while speaking, to say a thing by mistake


a small pieces of wood use to light the bigger ones


to recognise, to be acquainted with, to know by sight


equal to, equivalent, on par with, to be settled


to be in a dire strait or difficult situation


the fruit of the worm which refers to one’s offspring


rats and birds; a term which includes all animals and birds that destroy the crops


to put the hand on the shoulder of another, to put the arm round the neck or waist


co-sisters of the bride on her wedding day


a Hmar Khawbungamzar (n), the leaves placed on the grave of the death; a traditional pre-Christian ritual performed after the death of a man


the mature male wild boar considered to be one of the fiercest wild animals


move, shift, to move from one place to another


carefully, assiduously, steadily, thoroughly


a species of small and prickly caterpillar


fermented pork (a Hmar indigenous and popular curry item)


to entertain one with meal, to treat someone with food


to become unpopular, to lose the esteem of others, to come into disrepute, to give place to, to float


to judge, to arbitrate, to take counsel, to make arrangements, to govern, to manage


a term used by a woman to refer to her brothers and cousin brothers’ son


a ball shape iron with thread use for measuring by mason, plumb bob


to bow down head with the buttock raised up


that comes out from the local area (songs, styles, etc)


the last food one eats before dying or the offering of food made for a departed soul


to bend the arm, making a sharp angle at the elbow assumed to be threatening by Hmars


to be falsely alarmed of a raid or an attack, a false alarm of a raid or attack


the rice beer being offered by ‘anchongpa’ to the young maidens who help him in husking rice and other things for his ‘sesun inchong’


forget, to forget, not remember (like dream)


to be full of life and spirits, agile, nimble


half (of a four legged animal) including the tail but not the head and internal parts/inerts


the name of a beetle with a pungent odour


robust throat, one who is having careless food habit


name of children’s play in the evening wherein they hold each other on the back and play


a bad evil spirit believes to sit on branches of trees in groups under the sun but roam around with torches in the night. A Hmar phrase ‘trau meiser sit’ originated from this tale and has some similarity with ‘will-o-the-wisp’ folktale


a term used to call those peoples who apply vermilion on their foreheads (esp Hindus)


name of tree the plank of which is usually used for making oars


to resist, to withstand, to oppose, to be against


petty collections levied on villagers which first appears in the mid-20th century when eggs, fowls etc are collected from villagers to please visiting govt officials


the generic name for the thistle family having a medicinal value


to answer (as prayer), to accede to a request


to be on top of another person or some other things


a suffix denoting a specific place or time (almost similar with ‘at/in/on)


spill out (liquid substance or powdery items)


name of insect found in large swarm and that feeds on leaves


a measurement equal to the width of the hand


expression for someone who is under false pretences, cunning, clever, unprincipled, treacherous, deceitful or hypocritical


to look after, to attend; reply, to give a reply


a place where the rapid is tough and difficult to navigate through


to be exceedingly anxious, to be in anguish


a Meitei and Hindi heartland dish of varieties of vegetable and meat soup


after, later in time, after having finished, afterwards, subsequent to


a Bible verse reader in a Hmar church program


to associate with, to make up after a quarrel


the shriek voice, the highest pitch voice


that which one likes, that which is appealing to one


a full grown domesticated female mithun or gayal


to feel, to be shy, modest, ashamed, etc


to pierce through and be visible (arrow); to be fully engaged in one’s assignment or job, to mind one’s own business


a ghost believed to be having the looks of a human but could not be seen in reality and believed to be the spirit of the deads


to run away, to escape from; a married woman escaping to her parental home


a spirit or ghost believe to guard ‘tuivamit’. Hunters and travellers who came across the water took a very delicate and careful process of not rushing to the water with bare hand but with a leaf made like a cup and thereby not displeasing the spirit


the sudden burst of mud and water in streams and small rivers


to knit, to plait, to be entangled (hair), to plan against, to conspire against (human)


poison, strong, pungent smelling (as spirits, etc)


foolhardy, reckless, fearless, daring; to be foolhardy (message or words)


to imagine, to visualise, to picture oneself


spending (time) more than originally intended


those illiterates who appear Sunday school exams engaging others to write for them


to do anything for another at the same time as doing it for one's self


stagger, stagger walk, walk not in an upright manner


aggravating, grievous, provoking, exasperating, aggravatingly, etc


to enter a house or land with the intention of killing, assaulting, or quarrelling with its inmates


to regard, to have respect to or for, to heed, to care about, to care for, to show respect to or for


to not do a thing, to leave undone, to omit to, not to carry out


burnt beyond redemption, to char beyond recognition, to burn down to cinder


embarrassed, not prosperous, having a confined situation, etc


the narrow line on human back that leads to the anus


a separation or divorce by mutual consent between husband and wife (the husband would not re-claim the bride price he had paid nor the wife would demand ‘man thrungpha’


vintage point for viewing surrounding areas


to pour out, to empty out; to put on or wear (as ring, boots, etc)


to mix up, to blend; to balance or equalise


without seriousness, doing things just for name shake


the feathers under the tail of a bird, the place covered by such feathers


the perpendicular split bamboos in a mat


to nominally write with no specific shape or meaning


expression of one losing everything due to one’s greediness or avariciousness, to be in trouble due to one’s self-indulgence or voracity


to be promoted, to attend higher rank or position


doing or being in a state of calm and peace (esp sleeping or sitting)


the name of a tree the roots of which are used for making a yellow or red dye


for, for the purpose of (bu fa dingin a hung=he comes to eat food)


the generic name for all edible green leaves


a small iron bar used in the kitchen for heating some items (chilly, etc)


a type of chair made of bamboo, cane and animal skin, etc


the day after a dead body is buried, a solemn day after a dead body is buried, see 'ruoknghak'


from birth to maturity, one generation (about 25 years)


to be in right proportion, to be of equal value or price, to be properly matched


to hide from sight, to screen, to overshadow, to obscure, hidden from sight, etc


to speak of with bated breath or in an excited manner


a cotton winding machine (see ‘suthlam’)


term for a man to refer to all his sisters and female cousins or relatives


a mild but nasty fever or human body temperature


to stand one’s ground, to make a stand, to prepare to stand one’s ground or to make a stand


to serve (with food), to set before (as food)


to stand firm even at the cost of one’s life


a bear's head, used as the moon when only three quarters is visible


a simple Hmar curry (mostly vegetables) with just salt added in it


to prick as a blister, to pick out or dig out (as a thorn)


whence (but only when ‘na’ is a suffix of the previous word)


tribe, clan, a strap passing across the forehead to carry loads; a knitted cane or bamboo split used for carrying a traditional basket


to be unanimous or of one mind, to be united


a mother, a maternal aunt, a paternal uncle's wife, a husband's mother, a female, a feminine affix


euphemistic way of speaking of ‘dying’, to die


a solemn day after a dead body is buried


the enjoinment of more than one person in line by holding a rope or a pole when walking in a steep and tough hilly terrain, one after another


a species of mimosa, the bark of which is used for poisoning fish


to chew up, to masticate thoroughly, to chew thoroughly


young and tender shoot or sprout (mostly edibles)


a crushed chilly and other edible items which is an important part of Hmar cusine


to be out of clutches of, emancipated, to be free from


common, ordinary, under any circumstances


to help, to rescue, to protect, to defend


to raise one’s hand to hit, strike, punch, knock; to lift (across, over, up or down)


poetical term for ‘nunghak’ or unmarried young lady


friendly, one who makes friends happy, one who makes friend fast


transparent, open for enquiring or examination


the calf of the leg or hand; poetical term for ‘arm’


one who performed ‘Sesun Inchong’ or victory feast


the name of an aromatic herb, lomba plant


to be obstructed, to be encumbered, to be in the way


giving extra pressure to someone to hurry or hasten up


a wild fruit almost similar with raspberry


to speak to, to talk to; to propose for marriage; to offer a sacrifice to


a marriage certificate, a marriage document


green (colour), fresh, green (not withered)


to cut short, to silence a person when speaking


the name of a one-legged ghost (evil spirit) believes to exist in the pre-Christian era Hmar society


to forget each other, to unintentionally left out


shaking or rolling in uneven and rough manner


to keep, to detain, to hinder, to restrict


a traditional ritual performed for one’s maternal grandfather or maternal uncles and vice-versa


to confess and ask pardon, to surrender, apologise, to ask to be excused


to be anxious, to be in anguish, to be in distress


to open up land for cultivation of homestead land by village chief or concern authority


a block of wood used to block the wheel of a vehicle from moving on its own


enough, sufficient, adequate, to eat and have a full stomach


to separate, to discriminate, to make a distinction between


poetical term for death or those who have died


expression of the smallest or tiniest (in size)


listless, quiet, silent, downhearted, sad, miserable, to be listless


to close (the gap), to minimize (the space between two objects)


the closest relative of only the father side


to whisper or speak to each other in a hush tone


to steal secretly, to thieve, slyly, on the sly, stealthy


a telescope; field-glasses; to look through


to be self-dissatisfied with; to light up, to put on (lamp)


a shrub like plant use or misused as drug, cannabis, marijuana


to cook, to ripen, to bring into subjection


to earn a living on contract or daily basis


a species of wild boar (lemur – slow lorries)


that is being written, that has already been written


a curtain (originated from Hindi term of ‘purdah’)


encircling with the leg, a young man enticing a girl


the bigger particles or the outer particles of ‘favai’


in numbers, also has the idea of many, or in bundle


name of a variety of wild creeper plant used for fishing


useful or serviceable in a variety of ways or one who is available for such ways


an edible water plant of the ‘touch me not’ family found in abundance in Manipur valley


the water of a small stream proverbially used to denote crystal clear water


to pretend, to deceive, to do out of a thing


loose soil brought together by flowing rain water


to beat (an opponent) by sweeping the board, to win (a game) comprehensively


cut, to cut, deduct; to stumble, to hop, to jump


large bamboos notched and bent over the ridgepole to support the thatch of a Hmar traditional village house


incurable, chronic (pain or disease) that has been there for quite some time


to thresh, to rub, to wears, to move along


a species of edible creeping plant, a betel leaf


the village on the other side, one from another village