[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: Hampong DIr (noun)

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Sunday, February 22, 2026

Klingon word: Hampong DIr
Part of speech: noun
Definition: scab
Source: qep'a' 27 [2020]
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(qep'a' 2020):  For the plural, use {-mey}, even if the scab is still attached

(De'vID < MO, 2/17/2018):  The traditional/old Klingon way of keeping score involves cutting oneself ({pe''egh}), and this is the term still in use. A tally or (total) score follows the same tradition. They say {mIvwa'mey}, literally scars (even though, in traditional scorekeeping, the cuts turn to scabs and eventually go away).

SEE:
moqtay' 	bruise (a bruise you can see, not an open wound) (n)
Hampong  	wound,  sore (n) (qep'a' 2018)
(qep'a' 2018):  a wound or sore with at least some abrasion, not just a bruise

(qepHom 2021):  The correct word to refer to a scar that results from surgery, is {mIvwa'}. It is defined as "scar (from wound)", and the wound in this case is an intentional wound. The word {roptoj} "scar (from disease)" is not appropriate here.

SanDIy 		scar (result of a wound received in the course of fighting/battling) (n)

(qep'a' 2017):  So if you have a scar that you got in a fight, that could be either a {mIvwa'} or a {SanDIy}. If you don't know whether someone's scar resulted from a wound or a disease, it's probably safest to go with {mIvwa'}. If the person's scar is actually a {SanDIy}, he/she will, under most circumstances, clarify this for you. If it's a {roptoj}, he/she may let the 'misdiagnosis' slide since, as we all know, {ropchoHbe' tlhInganpu'}. 

SEE ALSO:
QID 		wound [someone], be injured (v)
regh 		bleed (n)
taq 		be scarred (n)
taqmoH 	scar (n)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons