Cultural Characteristics of the Hmong People Through the Semantic Field of Food (A Study Based on the Vietnamese - Hmong Dictionary)

Abstract

Eating and food consumption are not merely biological needs but also a cultural domain that distinctly reflects the identity of each community. As an ethnic minority group inhabiting high mountainous regions of Vietnam, the Hmong people have developed a unique culinary value system deeply shaped by their ecological environment. This study investigates the semantic field of food terminology in the Vietnamese–Hmong Dictionary (edited by Nguyễn Văn Chỉnh, 1996, Vietnam Ethnic Culture Publishing House) in order to identify the cultural characteristics of the Hmong through linguistic cognition. The findings reveal a rich and detailed representation of plant-based and animal-based food sources as well as everyday culinary practices, highlighting an ecological culture grounded in communal cohesion and survival-oriented experience.