Meaning & use
Pumi
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
A member of an ethnic group living mainly in southwestern China, especially Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun: one Pumi, two Pumi (not 'Pumis'). It is always capitalized.
Patterns
- a Pumi
- the Pumi people
- Pumi culture
My friend is a Pumi from Yunnan Province.
The Pumi have their own language and traditions.
She wrote her thesis on Pumi religious practices.
proper nounproper
The language spoken by the Pumi people, belonging to the Tibeto-Burman language family.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the language: 'She speaks Pumi.' No plural form.
Patterns
- speak Pumi
- in Pumi
- Pumi language
Linguists estimate that about 35,000 people speak Pumi.
He learned Pumi from his grandparents.
The Pumi language is written with the Latin alphabet in some communities.
Common combinations
- Pumi people
- The Pumi people celebrate the Spring Festival with unique customs.
- Pumi language
- The Pumi language has several dialects.
- Pumi culture
- Pumi culture includes distinctive dances and songs.
- Pumi ethnic group
- The Pumi ethnic group is officially recognized by the Chinese government.
- Pumi villages
- Many Pumi villages are located in mountainous areas.
- Pumi traditional dress
- Pumi traditional dress often features colorful embroidery.
Commonly confused: Pumi or Pumi (dog breed)?
Pumi vs Pumi (dog breed)
The Pumi is also a breed of Hungarian herding dog. The context usually makes it clear which one is meant, but if not, you can say 'Pumi ethnic group' or 'Pumi dog'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Pumi' correctly to refer to the ethnic group?
Choose one answer.
The Pumi are an ethnic group in China, so sentence 0 is correct. Sentence 1 confuses the Pumi with the Pumi dog breed or another language. Sentence 2 refers to the dog breed, not the ethnic group. Sentence 3 is incorrect because Pumi is not a food.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Pumi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.