тарвага

Mongolian

Etymology

From Proto-Mongolic *tarbagan, compare Mongghul tarbugha. Sometimes connected with Ulch, Nanai тарга (targa, “beaver”), which themselves may be compared with Nivkh тʼаӻр (tʼaġr, “chipmunk”).

Pronunciation

• (Ulaanbaatar) IPA^(key): /tʰarwəɢ/, [ˈtʰarw̜ɐq]

Noun

тарвага • (tarvaga) (Mongolian spelling ᠲᠠᠷᠪᠠᠭ᠎ᠠ (tarbag-a)); (hidden-n declension)

1. marmot, tarbagan
2. (in compounds) small

   Synonyms: жижиг (žižig), бага (baga)

Hyponyms

• нагай (nagaj, “female marmot”)
• бурхи (burxi, “male marmot”)
• мөндөл (möndöl, “marmot cub”)
• готил (gotil, “two-year-old marmot”)

Derived terms

• тарвагалах (tarvagalax, “to hunt marmots”)
• тарвагачин (tarvagačin, “marmot-hunter”)
  • тарвагачлах (tarvagačlax, “to hunt marmots”)
• чоно тарвагацах (čono tarvagacax, “to play wolf and marmot, a traditional children's game”)