The 10K Wife
A pricey Hmong wife
A pricey Hmong wife
Extended Definition: A non royal female prefixed for marriage, usually of Hmong descent with a fixed non refundable dowry set at 10,000 US dollars excluding wedding ceremony cost which includes all but also catering, large sacrificial animal, and administrative financial expenses.
Analysis: The word “Nyab” is a the Hmong word for daughter-in-law. Many of the Hmong people, especially Hmong Americans, have used this saying for a woman being worthy of a “10k Wife” to her soon to be husband. As a Hmong American, I can definitely say it’s the truth and nothing is being made up about it. In a traditional Hmong wedding, the husband or groom must pay his soon to be wife’s family a certain amount of money–in order for the family to approve of her leaving her old family and join a new one. If the amount doesn’t satisfy the wife’s family, the wedding can be called off in a dramatic way. The amount can vary depending on every woman's family, but $10,000 for a wife is a rare occurrence. For instance, Bonnie Vue (a Hmong woman) from Columbus, Ohio, explains the wedding amount “...price is $5,000. But $10,000…she must be so great that she’s worth 10 grand. She better know how to cook and clean and know how to speak the language and all the culture” (Moseley). This is usually the explanation for a Hmong woman to be worth “The 10k Wife” because if they know more than the others, then the higher the price is for them.
Video: (306) Nyab 10K - YouTube
Biography: Andrew Cha is currently a second-year student at SCC. He is planning to transfer to Sacramento State by the end of this spring semester.
Sources
Hmongwood. “Nyab 10K.” Urban Dictionary, 17 June 2021, www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Nyab+10k.
Lee, Maikang. “Nyab 10K (Video).” Youtube, 20 March 2017, www.youtube.com/www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4EZEQZ6oF8&t=34s
Moseley, Brittany. “Bonnie Vue Wants to Teach You about Hmong Culture.” Columbus Monthly, 19 May 2021, www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/food/2021/05/18/bonnie-vue-wants-teach-you-about-hmong-culture/5152800001/.