苗族后裔——项羽

Xiang Yu:The Descendant of the Miao People

项羽是苗族人,所以"项"不是他的"姓",而是东部苗族自称"ghaob xongb"中"xongb"的音译,本义为"停留",作为名词则可理解为"苗族居住地"或"苗族封地"。"籍"和"羽"也不是他的"名"和"字","籍"是苗语"jib"的音译,意为"子孙";"羽"是苗语"yil"的音译,意为"年轻阿哥"。所以,"项籍"的含义就是"苗家后生","项羽"的含义就是"苗家阿哥"。这两个称呼都不是项羽的真名,而是周围人对他的昵称。

Xiang Yu（Xiang Ji） belonged to the Hmong group,so the ＂Xiang＂ of Xiang Yu was not his surname.Rather,it was just the transliteration of the Hmong expression ＂xongb＂,which was used among the eastern part of the Hmong.And ＂xongb＂ means ＂to stay＂ and ＂the Hmong＇s place＂ or ＂the Hmong＇s fief＂.＂Ji＂ and ＂Yu＂ were also not his personal names.＂Ji＂ was the transliteration of the Hmong expression ＂jib＂,which means ＂descendant＂,and ＂Yu＂ was the transliteration of the Hmong expression ＂yil＂,which means ＂young leader＂.So actually,＂Xiang Ji＂ means ＂a Hmong＇s descendant＂;＂Xiang Yu＂ means ＂a Hmong group＇s young leader＂.The two names were most likely his nicknames,instead of his formal names.