Mizo ṭawng
Mizo
Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin)
Mizo (Mizo ṭawng) is the official language of Mizoram, India, with ~830K speakers across northeastern India, western Myanmar (Chin State), and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It is part of the Kuki-Chin branch of Tibeto-Burman, closely related to Lai (Hakha Chin) and Hmar. The Latin-based script was developed by Welsh Presbyterian missionaries (J. H. Lorrain, F. W. Savidge) in 1894; it uses ṭ for the aspirated /tʰ/. Mizo has a complex tonal system with 4 tones (high, low, rising, falling). Christianity is dominant in Mizoram, and Mizo-language hymnody and gospel songs are central to the literary tradition.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Mizo
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin)
| Meaning | Mizo | Hakha Chin | Tangkhul Naga | Meitei | Mru | Proto-Sino-Tibetan | Zeme Naga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tui /tui/ | ti /ti/ | ze /ze/ | ꯏꯁꯤꯡ /isiŋ/ | o /ɔ/ | *ti(y) /ti(j)/ | hedui /hedui/ |
| Fire | mei /mei/ | mei /mei/ | mei /mei/ | ꯃꯩ /mə́i/ | mai /mɑɪ/ | *mey /mey/ | hemi /hemi/ |
| Sun | ni /ni/ | ni /ni/ | nyithui /ɲitʰui/ | ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ /numit/ | thum /tʰum/ | *nəy /nəy/ | naimik /naimik/ |
| Moon | thla /tʰla/ | thla /tʰla/ | lai /lai/ | ꯊꯥ /tʰaː/ | la /lə/ | *s-la /s-la/ | hekeu /hekeu/ |
| Star | arsi /arsi/ | arfi /ʔarfi/ | sira /siraː/ | ꯊꯋꯥꯟꯃꯤꯆꯥꯛ /tʰəwanmitʃak/ | kɯr /kɯr/ | *s-kar /s-kar/ | hegi /heɡi/ |
| Night | zan /zan/ | zan /zan/ | ngayashong /ŋajaʃoŋ/ | ꯑꯍꯤꯡ /əhiŋ/ | yak /jak/ | *mun /mun/ | muizeu /muizeu/ |
| Rain | ruah /ruaʔ/ | ruah /rua/ | zingrot /ziŋrot/ | ꯅꯣꯡ /noŋ/ | — | *r-wa /r-wa/ | tingrui /tiŋrui/ |
| Snow | vur /vur/ | hawhra /hawhra/ | horam /horam/ | ꯎꯟ /un/ | — | *s-pʷal /s-pʷal/ | kebun /kebun/ |
| Wind | thli /tʰli/ | thli /tʰli/ | masi /masi/ | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯠ /nuŋsit/ | — | *qV-lij /qV-lij/ | tingkai /tiŋkai/ |
| Earth | lei /ˈlei̯/ | vawlei /vawlei/ | ngalei /ŋalei/ | ꯂꯩꯕꯥꯛ /ləibak/ | — | *m-l(e/ə)y /m-l(e/ə)j/ | kedei /kedei/ |
| Stone | lung /luŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | ngalung /ŋaluŋ/ | ꯅꯨꯡ /nuŋ/ | — | *r-luŋ /r-luŋ/ | tingchu /tiŋtʃu/ |
| Mountain | tlâng /tlaŋ/ | tlang /tlaŋ/ | kaphung /kapʰuŋ/ | ꯆꯤꯡ /tʃíŋ/ | — | *s-gaŋ /s-ɡaŋ/ | peloa /peloa/ |
| Sea | tuipui /tuipui/ | rili /rili/ | ngayi /ŋaji/ | ꯏꯄꯥꯛ /ipak/ | — | — | sungkeling /suŋkeliŋ/ |
| Mother | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | ina /ina/ | ꯏꯃꯥ /ima/ | au /əʔu/ | *ma /ma/ | mipui /mipui/ |
| Father | pa /pa/ | pa /pa/ | apa /apa/ | ꯏꯄꯥ /ipa/ | pa /pə/ | *pa /pa/ | mipeu /mipeu/ |
| Daughter | fanu /fanu/ | fanu /fanu/ | nawngalawu /nawŋalawu/ | ꯏꯆꯥꯅꯨꯄꯤ /itʃanupi/ | — | — | pena /pena/ |
| I | kei /kei/ | kei /kei/ | i /i/ | ꯑꯩ /əi/ | nga /ŋa/ | *ŋa /ŋa/ | i /i/ |
| You | nang /naŋ/ | nang /naŋ/ | na /na/ | ꯅꯡ /nə́ŋ/ | nang /naŋ/ | *naŋ /naŋ/ | nang /naŋ/ |
| We | keini /keini/ | kanmah /kanmaʔ/ | ithum /itʰum/ | ꯑꯩꯈꯣꯏ /əikʰoi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | anui /anui/ |
| Name | hming /hmiŋ/ | min /min/ | amin /amin/ | ꯃꯤꯡ /miŋ/ | ming /miŋ/ | *r-miŋ /r-miŋ/ | heji /hedʒi/ |
| Person | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | — | ꯃꯤ /mi/ | — | *r-mi(y)-n /r-mi(j)-n/ | ziemmena /ziemːena/ |
| Head | lu /lu/ | lu /lu/ | kui /kui/ | ꯀꯣꯛ /kok/ | — | *m-gaw /m-gaw/ | mipei /mipei/ |
| Eye | mit /mit/ | mit /mit/ | mi /mi/ | ꯃꯤꯠ /mit/ | mik /mɪk/ | *s-mik /s-mik/ | mik /mik/ |
| Ear | beng /beŋ/ | hna /hna/ | khana /kʰana/ | ꯅꯥꯀꯣꯡ /nakoŋ/ | na /na/ | *r-na /r̩na/ | mikun /mikun/ |
| Nose | hnar /hnar/ | hnar /hnar/ | natang /nataŋ/ | ꯅꯥꯇꯣꯟ /naton/ | — | *s-na /sna/ | mineu /mineu/ |
| Mouth | kâ /ka/ | kaa /kaː/ | khamor /kʰamor/ | ꯆꯤꯟ /tʃin/ | — | *s-muːr /s-muːr/ | mimui /mimui/ |
| Tooth | ha /ha/ | ha /ha/ | ha /ha/ | ꯌꯥ /ja/ | ha /ha/ | *s-wa /swa/ | migeu /miɡeu/ |
| Tongue | lei /lei/ | lei /lei/ | male /male/ | ꯂꯩ /ləi/ | lei /lei/ | *mlja /mlja/ | milei /milei/ |
| Hand | kut /kut/ | kut /kut/ | pang /paŋ/ | ꯈꯨꯠ /kʰut/ | bong /boŋ/ | *lak /lak/ | mipa /mipa/ |
| Foot | ke /ke/ | ke /ke/ | phei /pʰei/ | ꯈꯣꯡ /kʰoŋ/ | klong /kləŋ/ | *r-kaŋ /r-kaŋ/ | mipidei /mipidei/ |
| Heart | thinlung /tʰinluŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | mokyaba /mokjaba/ | ꯊꯝꯃꯣꯏ /tʰəmmoi/ | tsak /tsʰɑk/ | — /—/ | milung /miluŋ/ |
| Bone | ruh /ruh/ | ruh /ruh/ | ara /ara/ | ꯁꯔꯨ /sə́ru/ | hut /hut/ | *rus /rus/ | ra /ra/ |
| Blood | thisen /tʰiseːn/ | thi /tʰî/ | ashi /aʃi/ | ꯏ /i/ | thi /tʰi/ | *s-hwəy-t /shwəjt/ | hejei /hedʒei/ |
| Poop | êk /ek/ | ek /ʔek/ | paai /paːi/ | ꯊꯤ /tʰi/ | — | *kləy /kləj/ | — |
| Love | hmangaih /hmaŋai/ | daw /daw/ | cha /tʃa/ | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯕ /nuŋsiba/ | akiet /əkiɛt/ | *m-dza-k /m-dza-k/ | hung /huŋ/ |
| Tree | thingkung /tʰiŋkuŋ/ | thingkung /tʰiŋkuŋ/ | leiyik /leijik/ | ꯎ /u/ | tshing /tsʰɪŋ/ | *siŋ /siŋ/ | hingbang /hiŋbaŋ/ |
| Dog | ui /ui/ | ui /ui/ | ui /ui/ | ꯍꯨꯏ /hui/ | takui /təkuɪ/ | *d-kʷəy /d-kʷəy/ | hetei /hetei/ |
| Cat | zawhte /zɔʔte/ | minu /minu/ | mibu /mibu/ | ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡ /hə́udoŋ/ | tamin /təmɪn/ | — /—/ | ngngiaune /ŋːiaune/ |
| Fish | sangha /saŋha/ | nga /ŋà/ | khai /kʰai/ | ꯉꯥ /ŋa/ | nga /ŋa/ | *ŋja /ŋja/ | heka /heka/ |
| Bird | sava /sava/ | vate /vaʔteʔ/ | vanao /vanao/ | ꯎꯆꯦꯛ /utʃek/ | — | *bya /bja/ | nruine /nruine/ |
| Butterfly | phengphehlep /pʰeŋpʰehlep/ | pelep /pelep/ | konghang /koŋhaŋ/ | ꯀꯨꯔꯥꯛ /kurak/ | — | — | timpiangbe /timpiaŋbe/ |
| Egg | artui /artui/ | arti /ʔarti/ | harra /harra/ | ꯌꯦꯔꯨꯝ /jerum/ | — | *ʔu /ʔu/ | nruibum /nruibum/ |
| Bear | savawm /savɔm/ | vom /vom/ | singom /siŋom/ | ꯁꯑꯣꯝ /səom/ | — | *d-wam /d-wam/ | hegum /heɡum/ |
| Horse | sakawr /sakɔr/ | rang /raŋ/ | sigui /siɡui/ | ꯁꯒꯣꯜ /səɡol/ | — | *s/m-raŋ /s/m-raŋ/ | hekun /hekun/ |
| House | in /in/ | inn /in/ | shim /ʃim/ | ꯌꯨꯝ /jum/ | khim /kʲɪm/ | *k-yim /k-jim/ | heki /heki/ |
| Milk | hnute tui /hnute tui/ | hnuk /hnuk/ | seina /seinə/ | ꯁꯡꯒꯣꯝ /səŋɡom/ | — | *s-nəw /s-nəw/ | tungdui /tuŋdui/ |
| Honey | khuaizu /kʰuaizu/ | khuaihliti /kʰuaihliti/ | khuira /kʰuira/ | ꯈꯣꯏꯍꯤ /kʰoihi/ | — | — | ngkuidi /ŋkuidi/ |
| Salt | chi /tʃi/ | ci /tsi/ | machi /matʃi/ | ꯊꯨꯝ /tʰum/ | — | *g-rjum /g-rjum/ | nehai /nehai/ |
| Wine | uain /uain/ | misur hang /misur haŋ/ | drakhara /drakʰaːra/ | — | — | — | wain /wain/ |
| Rice | buh /buh/ | facang /fatsaŋ/ | mawon /mawon/ | ꯆꯦꯡ /tʃeŋ/ | — | — | hebi /hebi/ |
| Iron | thîr /tʰiːr/ | thir /tʰir/ | mari /mari/ | ꯌꯣꯠ /jot/ | — | — | hegei /heɡei/ |
| Wheel | tawlailîr ke /tɔlailiːr ke/ | kekual /kekual/ | kangphei /kaŋpʰei/ | ꯀꯥꯡꯈꯣꯡ /kaŋkʰoŋ/ | — | — | pigua /piɡua/ |
| Silk | maimaw /maimɔ/ | pu /pu/ | kaprangku /kapraŋku/ | ꯀꯕ꯭ꯔꯡ /kəbrəŋ/ | — | — | — |
| Book | lehkhabu /leʔkʰabu/ | cauk /tsauk/ | lairik /lairik/ | ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯤꯛ /lairik/ | — | — | leisi /leisi/ |
| Eat | ei /ei/ | ei /ei/ | ngui /ŋui/ | ꯆꯥꯕ /tʃaːba/ | tsa /tsɑ/ | *dzya /dzja/ | teu /teu/ |
| Drink | in /in/ | din /din/ | rai /rai/ | ꯊꯛꯄ /tʰəkpə/ | kham /kʰɑm/ | *s(y)awk /s(j)awk/ | sak /sak/ |
| Sleep | mut /mut/ | it /ʔit/ | pi /pi/ | ꯇꯨꯝꯕ /túmbə/ | — | *yip /jip/ | zei /zei/ |
| One | pakhat /pakʰat/ | pakhat /pakʰat/ | kha /kʰa/ | ꯑꯃ /əmə/ | lok /lɔk/ | *tik /tik/ | kat /kat/ |
| Two | pahnih /pahniʔ/ | pahnih /pahniʔ/ | khani /kʰani/ | ꯑꯅꯤ /əni/ | pəni /pəni/ | *g-nis /g-nis/ | kena /kena/ |
| Three | pathum /patʰum/ | pathum /patʰum/ | kathum /katʰum/ | ꯑꯍꯨꯝ /əhum/ | sum /sum/ | *g-sum /ɡsum/ | kechum /ketʃum/ |
| Four | pali /pali/ | pali /pali/ | mati /məti/ | ꯃꯔꯤ /məri/ | — | *b-ləy /bləj/ | medai /mədai/ |
| Five | panga /paŋa/ | panga /paŋa/ | phanga /pʰəŋa/ | ꯃꯉꯥ /məŋaː/ | — | *l-ŋaʔ /lŋaʔ/ | mengeu /meŋeu/ |
| Hundred | za /za/ | za /za/ | shakha /ʃakʰə/ | ꯆꯥꯃ /tʃamə/ | — | *r-gya /rɡja/ | heiket /heiket/ |
| Hello | chibai /tʃibai/ | na dam maw /na dam maw/ | hayau /hajau/ | ꯈꯨꯔꯨꯝꯖꯔꯤ /kʰurumdʒari/ | namaskaro /nɑməskɑro/ | — /—/ | hangba /haŋba/ |
| Thank you | ka lawm e /ka lɔːm e/ | ka lawm /ka lawm/ | ase /ase/ | ꯊꯥꯒꯠꯆꯔꯤ /tʰaːɡattʃari/ | dhanyabad /dʰənəbɑd/ | — /—/ | kazi /kazi/ |
| Good | ṭha /tɾʰa/ | ṭha /ʈʰa/ | kahei /kahei/ | ꯑꯐꯕ /əpʰəbə/ | — /—/ | *l(j)ak /l(j)ak/ | keibe /keibe/ |
| New | thar /tʰar/ | thar /tʰar/ | kathar /katʰar/ | ꯑꯅꯧꯕ /ənəubə/ | — | *g-sar /g-sar/ | karchibe /kartʃibe/ |
| Red | sen /sen/ | sen /sen/ | kahunga /kahuŋa/ | ꯑꯉꯥꯡꯕ /əŋáŋbə/ | ni /ni/ | *tya-n /tja-n/ | kegebe /keɡebe/ |
| White | vâr /var/ | raang /raːŋ/ | kachar /katʃar/ | ꯑꯉꯧꯕ /əŋəubə/ | — /—/ | *bawk /bawk/ | kehabe /kehabe/ |
| Black | dum /dum/ | dum /dum/ | kachik /katʃik/ | ꯑꯃꯨꯕ /əmubə/ | — | *nək /nək/ | ketikbe /ketikbe/ |
| Green | hring /hriŋ/ | hring /hriŋ/ | khamateka /kʰamateka/ | ꯑꯁꯡꯕ /əsəŋbə/ | — | — | kanzaibe /kanzaibe/ |
| Blue | dumpâwl /dumpɔl/ | — | khamaying /kʰamajiŋ/ | ꯍꯤꯒꯣꯛ /híɡok/ | — | — | kanzaibe /kanzaibe/ |
| Tea | thingpui /tʰiŋpui/ | lakphak /lakpʰak/ | — | ꯆꯥ /tʃa/ | — | — | sa /sa/ |
| Sugar | chithlum /tʃitʰlum/ | cini /tsini/ | chini /tʃini/ | ꯆꯤꯅꯤ /tʃini/ | — | — | — |
| Orange | serthlum /sertʰlum/ | theithu /tʰeitʰu/ | komola /komola/ | ꯀꯣꯝꯂꯥ /komla/ | — | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | sawmkua leh pakua /sɔmkua leʔ pakua/ | sawmkua le pakua /sɔmkua le pakua/ | hangchikoda chiko /haŋtʃikoda tʃiko/ | ꯃꯔꯤꯐꯨꯇꯔꯥꯃꯥꯄꯟ /məripʰutəraːmaːpən/ | — | — | riaksekui ze sekui /riaksekui ze sekui/ |
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