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t' I SHORT GLOSSARY

I
t OF

i BURMESE
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First Edition, J~nuary 1945

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G.S.G.S.
WAR OFFICE, LONDON
L 4-1
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 INTRODUCTORY NOTE
The transliteration of Burmese place names on official maps follows closely the rules laid down
in " Tables for the transliteration of Burmese into English" (Rangoon, 1908), but variant trans-
literations arise from the more recent use of hk, hs, ht and hp to distinguish aspira.ted consonants
and from a lack of uniformity in the use of the hyphen and of diacritical marks. Further, the mutation
of the sounds k, s, t and p to g, z, d and b after a vowel or a nasal is observed in the transliteration
into English. Thus the same Burmese spelling may have several English transliterations.
Burmese words of distinct meaning have not ·necessarily distinct Burmese spellings, and distinct
spellings may have the same English transliteration. This glossary contains separate entries for
separable Burmese spellings and for each entry there is shown the meaning, or meanings, most usual
in place names and the various transliterations in which the word usually appears on official maps.
Cross references _are provided for the identification of variant transliterations.
The system of transliteration is intended to conform to the English pronunciation of the letters
used, but the following approximate equivalents may serve as a guide to the values of the vowels and
diphthongs and to the pronunciation of compound consonants.
Af(long) as in bar
t(short) as in bat
E as m may {separable only by
:E as in fair the diacritical mark
I as m seen
0 as in bone
u{(long) as in boot
-(short) as in put
El as in aid
AW as in paw
AU as in mount
KY as in church
GY as injet
NG as in going over
NY as in Bunyan
The map overleaf is primarily intended to show the limited distribution of Burmese place
names within the territorial boundary of Burma. In the greater part of the area where Burmese is
shown as occurring with other elements Burmese place names are in the majority. The words Shan,
Chin, Kachin and Karen indicate only the main languages of the frontier districts ; the complex
mosaic of the many tribal languages of these areas defies simple diagrammatic representation.
 BURMA
Place Names
-Burmese
Burmese with
other elements
[- JXon-Burmese
Scale I : 10, 000,000
.<o 0
Miles
ea 50 lOO 150 200

P.C.y.N.
Abbreviation I Transliteration
Burmese I Meaning
1-A-----~--- ---
. -

A prefix denoting a verbal noun

ahtet, atet upper

ain see em

amg pool, swamp, stagnant water

0
alan SdCD flag

ale, ale middle, central

anauk West

anya the upper part of anything ;

Upper Burma

as he East

at et see ahtet

auk lower

auk chin the hornbill (Buceros monoceros) ;

a tree species

aung to conquer ; victory

B
baik see paik

baing see pamg

ban see pan

bauk see pauk

baung see hpaung

baw see paw

bawdi Gt:n8 sacred banyan tree (Ficus

religiosa)

baya see paya

bayon see hpayon

bet see pet

bin see pin

bo leader, captain, official

bo see hpo

bode, bode rest house, dak-bungalow

3
Abbreviation\ Transliteration Burmese Meaning
------------------! I
bok see pok

bon see pon

bwin see pwin

bya see pya

byaing heron, egret

byat see pyat

by in see pyin

byu see hpyu

c
•
chaing: gyamg
I~~ to be concave ; depression, low
lying fields

chan: gyan ~ fence, enclosure, cattle fold

chantha 9JSgOJ') happiness ; prosperity

chauk : gyauk G[3')c}J six ; to be dry

C., Ch. chaung : gyaung G9j')tg stream, river

chidauk, chedauk G[3G(x)')d) foot, secondary trunk of a

banyan tree

chin Chin

D
da long knife, sword

da see ta

daga see taga

dahat a tree species (Tectona

H amiltonii)

daik stranded or drifting rubbish

daik see taik

daing see taing

dalin see talin

dam in bamboo fish trap used m sea

fisheries

dan see tan and htan

dani a palm used for thatch (Nipa

fruticans)
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

danyin see tanyin

dat see tat

dathwekyauk CX)'JgG~gG01]'Jcf) a stone for whetting knives

daung G~ltg peacock

daung see taung

claw see taw

daye, daye the hog deer (Cervus porcinus)

de, de see te

de in see tein

di see hti

didok the large horned-owl

do see to

don see ton and hton

du see tu

duyin the durian tree (Durio zibethinus)

dwin see twin

E
e cool, cold

e1n, am house

G
gaing see kaing

gale see kale

gal on a fabulous bird

gamon plants of the genus Kaempferia

gan see kan

gangaw o:5GoT a flowering tree (Mesua pedun-

culata)

gauk see kauk

gaung numeral affix for animals

/

gaung ' see hkaung

ge see hke
5
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

gm see khin and kin

gon see kon
gonnyin a species of creeper ( Sutada
pursaetha)
gu see ku
gwa see hkwa
gwe to be curved, a bend

gwet see kwet

gwin see kwin
gyaing see chaing
gyan see chan and kyan
gyauk see chauk and kyauk
gyaung see chaung and kyaung
gyt see kyi
gyo fresh (not salt)

gyo dove

gyo see kyo

gyun see kyun

H
haung GOJ'Jt~ old

hintha O)~'J a wild duck, the ruddy sheldrake

(formerly a national emblem of
the Pegu kingdom)

hkanaung, kanaung QlGptg a large whirlpool

hkaung, kaung: gaung GQl1tg head ; hollow, a wooden trough

hke, ke, ke: ge Q a stone, hard ; lead

hkwa, kwa: gwa g1 a hoof ; to separate

hla 0:) beautiful ; excessive

hlaing c§t~ a wave ; a sheaf of corn

hle GCI:J boat

hle, hle cyt§~ cart

6
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

hlwa a saw

hlwazin a sawpit

hman glass ; trees of the genus Randia

hmaw a variety of water weed

hmyaw to set afloat, to float timber

hmyaw a leech

hna see hnit

hnget bird

hngetpyaw, ngapyaw a banana

hnit, hna two

hpa, pa a frog ; a cleat nailed to a house

post
0
hpalan, palan (9(\) a tree species (Bauhinia diphylla)

hpaung, paung : baung G<91C or G::J.l')C raft, barge, royal boat

hpaye, paye, paye water melon

0
hpayon, payon: bayon <9(j) pumpkin

hpo, po: bo ~ 01' ~ bellows ; fireplace, furnace, kiln

hpongyi, pongyi ~~@~ Buddhist monk

hput, put ~oS a large lizard, iguana

hpyu, pyu: byu

~ white

hsa, sa salt

hsabo, sabo salt boiler's furnace, place where

salt is boiled

hsagyin, sagyin ~')~CY.flc:~ salt pans

hsaing, saing ~c shop

hse, se, se : ze ~~ we1r

hseik, seik : zeik £8 landing-place

hsi, si: z1 o8~ trees of the genus Zizyphus

hsin, sin ~c: elephant

hsu, su: zu thorn

htan, tan : dan the sugar palm

htaukkyan, taukkyan trees of the genus Terminalia

Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

hti, ti: di umbrella (frequently denoting

rank or honour)
htin, tin firewood

htinyu, tinyu coniferous trees

hton, ton : don limestone, lime ; pool

I
m aat the tree Dipterocarpus tuber-
culatus

m aatg lake, fishery, marsh

indaing aat~tg dry forest
ingyin aa56tg the tree Shorea siamensis

K
kado o;(g~ or at~ ferry
kaing: gaing ~tg to hang over in a curve, bend
downwards ; elephant grass ;
riverine cultivation
kala Oi(\)'Jg foreign, Indian
kalauk dGC\J'Jcf) cattle bell
kale: gale O)G(\)g small, little, a child

kan: gan m~ artificial pond or lake, ' tank '

kan: gan m6g bank of a river, seashore

kanaung see hkanaung

.kanazo m~~g trees of the genus Heritiera

kanyin m~t the tree Dipterocarpus laevis
kathe m:n~g Manipuri

kathit m:x>~ the tree Erythrina indica

kauk: gauk Gm'Jcf) bent, crooked

kaung see hkaung

kayin mE>)t Karen

kazun m~~g or m~~~g a plant with an edible root
ke, ke see hke
8
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning
:------------------1
khin, kin : gin suffix denoting a plot of cultiva-
tion or a plantation

khunit seven

kin: gm guard, watchman's post

kin see khin

kinmun dE~~ to be fond of, to long for

kin pun mE~~g the soap-acacia creeper
kokko a species of Acacia
otffil
kon, kon : gon ot~g bank, ridge, minor elevation ;
land (in contradistinction to
water)

ku: gu CYfl or ea cave

ku: gu to cross, a crossing-place, ford

kun betel nut ; betel leaf

kwa see hkwa

kwet: gwet field ; plot of land

I

kwin: gwin circle ; an area of cultivated

land ; a patch of level ground

kya tiger

kya water lily

kyakat a thorny bamboo (Bambusa

arundinacea)

kyan: gyan 8 sugar-cane

kyauk : gyauk GO':lJ'Jo) rock, stone

kyaukhke, kyaukke GO':lJ'Jo)Q stone

kyaukmithwe GO':lJ'Jo)~gG~g coal

kyauk saung GO':lJ'JoSGoo'Jt a ledge of rock rising above

water

kyauksayit GO':lJ'Jo)~q&J gravel

kyauksu GO':lJ'J o)OXj(g an anchor

kyaukthinbaw GO':lJ'Jo)OJGdl'J sea urchin

Kg. kyaung : gyaung GO':lJ'JCg Buddhist monastery, school

kyet 6oS fowl

kyetsu 6oSOXj( the castor-oil plant

9
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

kyetthun E;oS~~ an omon

kyettuywe 6oS~G8)g parrot

kyi: gp ~g crow

kyi ~g big, large, great

kyi: gyi Olt§g flowering trees of the genus

Barringtonia

kyigan crow

kyo: gyo to break

kyo: gyo broken, breach in a river bank

or dyke

kyo: gyo the tree Melicocca trijuga

kyu reed

kyun: gyun island; the teak tree (Tectona

grandis)

kywe, kywe buffalo

L
lamaing C\J~tg cultivator of royal land

Ian roSg road, path

Iaung GC\J'Jtg a r;1cing canoe, a long boat

le GC\Jg four; heavy

le, le roeS rice land, a rice field

leik cSS tortoise, turtle

Ietkok rooS<?S trees of the genus Sterculia

letpan rooSo the cotton tree (Bomba»insigne)

letthama rooS:::>JQ'Jg carpenter

Ion C\(g
0
round; numeral affix for round
things

lu C)l man, person

Iwin ~t an open space, a clearing

M
ma main, principal; feminine prefix.
IQ or female suffix ; negative
affix
10
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

magyi the tamarind tree

mau, ma-u G8jjl the tree Nauclea Cadamba
mayan GE;JG~ or ~E;Jtg the marian tree (Mangifera
oppositifolia)

maym dry-weather rice grown m

swamps
me, me g or gt§g dark ; indigo
memma s~gg woman
mezali, mezali g~c{3 the tree Cassia florida
ml ~g fire ; a light

migyaung SGOij'JCg crocodile

milaung ~gGm'JC to be on fire, burnt

mm GCg ruler ; official

mingala GA(\)') auspicious ; a religious rite

mithwe ~gG~g charcoal
mogaung ~JlgGm'JCg. abundant rainfall

mogyo ~Jlgffig thunderbolt

mokso 'i~g or 'id)~g hunter

mwe G~ snake

mwehauk G~Gm'JoS a cobra

myama Burmese

myanma Burmese

myauk North

M. myaung ravine, narrow winding valley,

hill stream

myaung canal, ditch

m ye ground, earth, soil
myenu land newly formed by the accre-
tion of silt, alluvial soil

myet grass
myethna the face ; quarter of the heavens

my in tall, high
my in horse
11
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

my it g~ nver

myo ~ town

myoma ~(:) town centre; chief town m a

region

myothit ~:).)~ new town

N
na .yo~ near ; to alight (as a bird)

nag a cj'>O1~ a species of dragon

naing ~5 to overcome, excel

nandaw cj'>~~Ga:>S palace

nat cj'>oS spirit, supernatural being

..
natsin 'i'oS~5 spirit shrine

ne, ne 'i'oS region, province

ne Gcj'> the sun ; to dwell, remain

nebu, nepu Gcj'>'n' to be hot (of the sun)

negya, negya 'i'oSs')~ boundary, frontier

neikban ~~p~ heaven, Nirvana

nepu see nebu

net 'i'oS black

nga c1~ five; fish

c1~uoS
l
ngabat

ngabyema c1~G@'=>
\
ngagyin c1~6Jg varieties of fish

ngakonma c1~~~(:)
ngayan c1~~o f
ngan c~g goose ; snakes of certain species

ngapr c1g8 a preparation of pounded salt fish

ngapyaw see hngetpyaw

ngayok CEj)oS red pepper, the chili plant

ngayokkaung CEj)oSGm-:Jtg black pepper

nge, nge coS small, inferior

12
·- -- - ---- - - --- - - - - - - - --··- - · - - - - - ; - - - - - - - - -- --.---- · -- - - - - - -- - - --
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

ngok stump, tree stump

ngokto stump, tree stump ; topless

pagoda

ngu a promontory, headland ; the

green pigeon

ngwe silver ; money

m red

lll near

nwa ox, bullock, cattle

nyaung the banyan tree (Ficus indica)

0
0 8~~ pot

ok 8ild3 brick

okmin or onmin e~c grotto, artificial cave, tunnel

okshit 88.jj~ or 8ilb§l~ the fruit tree Aegle Marmelos

on, on 8il~: the coconut palm

onhne, onhne e~ or 8ils~ a species of Euphorbia

on mm see okmin

pa see hpa

pabe, pabe o~~o) or o~~o blacksmith

padauk 8Gm'JaS a tree species (Pterocarpus

indicus)

padein o~~c:Bs goldsmith, silversmith

padi rtd3~ a string of beads

paik: baik ~aS fishing-net

paing : baing ~c~ portion, division, ward or

quarter of a town

palan see hpalan

pan: ban flower

pauk: bauk several species of flowering trees,

the Butea tree ; to come out ;
an opening
13
 ·- - - - -
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

paung see hpaung

paw: baw GoT to be awash, to come to the

surface ; top, summit

paya: baya J'tqJg sacred being ; lord ; pagoda

paye, paye see hpaye

payon see hpayon

pazun <{~~ or~~~ crustacean, prawn, crab,

shrimp

peinne, peinne 8~ the jackfruit (Artocarpus

integrifolia)

pet: bet :nr/) side

pin: bin o5 generic suffix and numeral affix

for trees and other plants

pinle o5roo5 sea

po see hpo

pok: bok <f5 putrid, rotten ; dark

0

pon: bon <{ a shape, pattern ; a heap, to

collect in a heap

pongyi see hpongyi

ponna <{~'Jg a Brahmin

put see hput

pwe, pwe ~ a dramatic performance ;

transaction of any kind
a

pwm: bwin ~~ to blossom, a flower

pya: bya [9'Jg flat

pyat: byat [9oS to cut, divided

pyathat 19'J:::D'J5 graduated spire of a monastery

or palace

pyi, pye 19t§ country, territory

pyin: by in [95 level plain

pyinkado tlJt§m')~g the tree Inga xylocarpa

pyu see hpyu

R
rathe 1 see yathe .
14
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

s
sa see hsa

sabo see hsabo

sagyin see hsagyin

saing see hsaing

sakan o:ogO>~g or o:lO>~g camp, camping-ground

san: zan Q)sg a spring

sat <JJd3 the sambur deer

sauk: zauk GifOOO depth; steep, precipitous

se, se see hse

sehnit twelve

seik see hseik

sha the cutch tree (Acacia catechu) ;

various species of Euphorbia

shan Shan, an inhabitant of the Shan

States

shauk trees of the Citrus family

shaw the fibrous inner bark of certain

trees, used for making ropes

shazibo a place where cutch is extracted

by boiling

she long

she in front ; East

shwe gold, golden

shwegyin a washing for alluvial gold

SI see hsi

Sill see hsin

si no, sin-o, sinoh o:lBo~g or o:lt§o~g large glazed earthenware pot

sit [)~ war, battle; a species of Acacia

sitke o:l~m Burmese military official

sizon ;;8~ oil press

son: zon confluence of a stream, cross-

-~
roads
!5
Abbreviation\ Transliteration Burmese Meaning

su: zu group of houses, hamlet, quarter

of town

su see hsu

T
ta one

ta: da a:n embankment

tada bridge, causeway, jetty

taga: daga gate, gateway

tagundaing a post bearing religious emblems,

a sacred flagstaff

taik: daik substantial building, offiGe,

shop ; a group, a group of
monasteries

taing: daing post, pillar, a measure of length

equal to two miles

taing: daing a wooded tract (used as a suffix

to the specific name of the tree)

talaing Talaing, Mon (strictly Mon)

talin: dalin threshing floor ; level ground

taman small dam or embankment to

direct the flow of water over
rice fields

tan: dan row of trees or houses, street,

anything in a row

tan see htan

tanyin : danyin OOBtg the tree Inga dulcis

tarok see tayok

tat: dat ooS fort, post, military unit

taukkyan see htaukkyan

taung : daung GOO')t South ; mountain, hill

taungbo GOO')t~o an ant-hill, a mound

taungya GOO')tc.D') shifting cultivation on hillsides

taw: daw GOO') forest, grove, waste

taw: daw GooS royal ; sacred ; honorific suffix

tayok, tarok OO!j]O Chinese "'

J6
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

tazaung a hall with graduated roof usually

in the precincts of a pagoda

taze cultivated land regularly inun-

dated by a river

te, te : de, de temporary hut, shelter

te, te the tree Diospyros burmanica

teik top, summit

tein: dein shallow, a shallow place

tha pleasant

tha son

thabeik ::D8oS the bowl in which monks receive

offerings of food

thabye ::DGB trees of the genus Eugenia

thabyu :).)~ tree of the genus Dillenia

thahpan, thapan :)J(9~g tree of the genus Ficus

thakut ::D8oS tree species (Spathodea Rheedii)

thamaing ::D~tg history, legend

thambaya see thanbaya

thami daughter

thamin a species of deer

than rron

thanat a tree the leaf of which is used for

making cigars (Cordia myxa)

thanbaya, thambaya the lime tree

thange, thunge child

thapan see thahpan

thate 8i(G~g a rich man ; trader, industrialist

thaung G::D-:Jt sandbank

thaungbyin G::D-:Jt@t a sand flat

thaya clear, pleasant; peaceful,

flourishing

thayet the mango tree (Mangifera

indica)

the, the sand

17
Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning
I

thegaw, thegaw oJGOJ') a bar of silt in a stream, a shoal

thegon, thegon a sandbank, dune, sandy ridge

the in place of ordination in Buddhist

shrine

thetke, thetke coarse grass used for thatch

thi fruit

thin a reed (Thalia cannaeformis),

used for weaving mats

thinban a tree of the genus Hibiscus

thinbaw ship, steamship; foreign

thingan monastic robes ; the tree Hopea

odorata

thit new ; timber, trees

thitcho the tree Sideroxylon tomentosum

thon three

thugyi village headman

thunge see thange

ti see hti

tin see htin

tinwa a species of bamboo (Cephalo-

stachyum pergracile)

tinyu see htinyu

to: do a fabulous animal

ton: don (suffix) a log or block of wood

ton see hton

tu: du to dig

twin: dwin hole, well ; valley

u
udaung 2G8ltg peacock

udo ~g~ a creek ending in a cul-de-sac

uyin emp§ garden

Abbreviation I Transliteration Burmese Meaning

w
wa 0 (suffix) mouth of a stream or
river, any orifice

wa 0 1g bamboo

wabo o1d~g or o1g~g a species of very large bamboos

waing ~tg circle, enclosure

wayon o1~~ a clump of bamboos

we, we 0 whirlpool

wet od5 pig

wm oE to enter

wm otg a fence, a fenced enclosure

y
ya 0)') cultivated land not embanked for
growing rice

yamg ~tg wild

yakaing 6]~5 Arakanese

yan 61~ battle, strife, quarrel, enmity

yat 6]0 (suffix) ward or quarter of a town

yathe, rathe 6)Got hermit, ascetic

ye, ye ~ brave, bold

ye G6) water

yebu G6)~ hot water, a hot spring

yedwin G6J~Cg a well

yegyaw G6JG6') a water course, channel

yegyaw G6JGD:lJS a natural through channel be-

tween two bends of a river

yegyo G6)~ fresh water

yele, yele G6jcD an inundation

0
yenan G6j<j> petro!eum

yengan G6JC~ salt water

yeozin, ye-o-zin G6j~g~t a stand for waterpots at the road-

side provided for the use of ·
travellers
19
Abbreviation Transliteration Burmese Meaning

yewe a ridge between two rivers,

watershed

yin a bamboo screen in channel or on

bank of stream to prevent
passage of fish

yindaik a tree resembling ebony

yinma a tree species of the genus

Chickrassia

Y. yo creek ; bone, ridge

yodaya Siamese (from the Siamese word

Ayuthia)

yoma mountain range

yon to spring up in a cluster from one

root (of plants)

yon office, public building, court-

house

yon the tree Anogeissus acuminata

ywa village

ywama main village

ywathit new village

z
zalok the crop or craw of a bird ; a
basin eroded by running
water ; a kind of boat

zan see san

zauk see sauk

zayat shelter for travellers, roofed but

open at the sides, rest house

ze bazaar, market

ze see hse

zedi pagoda

zeik see hseik

Zl see hsi

zibyu the tree Phyllanthus embelia

zon see son

zu see hsu and su

20
'-·

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 ,
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