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 Questions > Society
  1/14/2002
 How do you greet and address people in Bhutan?
 

"Kuzuzangpola" meaning "good health" is the most common way to greet a person. This greeting can be used throughout the day irrespective of whether it is morning, afternoon or evening. There are many ways to address people in Bhutan. The royal family members are addressed Dasho (male) and Ashi (female). A minister and the deputy minister’s are called Lyonpo’s who wear orange scarf on their shoulders with a long ornamented sword worn from the waist on the right side. People whose ranks are above the post of a director in the civil service and who wears a red scarf (scarf given when honored by the King) are addressed as "Dasho" meaning the "best". A junior monk is addressed as "Gelong", a senior monk as "Lopon", an elderly monk made incharge of a monastery or a temple is addressed as "Lam" generally appointed by the "Je Khenpo" the religious abbot of the monk body. On the other hand, nuns are called "Anims". Additionally, a re-incarnate lama is known as "Truelku" or "Rimpochey" and are regarded very highly. An older woman is addressed as " Aum" and a man as "Aap". Address a boy as "buu" and a girl as "bum". A layman is addressed as "Gomchen".

 

 

 

 

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