Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/ho̤

by Adele Marion Fielde

hó̤

• 好hó̤171383
• Good; well; excellent; fortunate; finished; fit; proper for the purpose; friendly.

m̄ cai hó̤ a mó̤;

do not know whether it is good or bad.

cí-kâi sĭ hó̤;

this is good.

cí-kâi sĭang hó̤;

this is best.

hṳ́-kâi ío hó̤;

that is better.

cí-kâi hó̤ kùe hṳ́-kâi;

this is better than that.

hṳ́-kâi bô̤ mih hó̤;

that is not very good.

bô̤ sĭm-mih hó̤ kâi;

not a very good one.

m̄ cai cí-kâi hó̤ a hṳ́-kâi hó̤;

do not know which is the better.

cí-kâi pí hṳ́- kâi hó̤ ho̤h cōi;

this as compared with that is better by far.

hó̤ căi;

very good.

cĭn hó̤;

of the utmost excellence.

hó̤ sí;

inexpressibly good.

i sĭ hó̤ nâng;

he is good.

seⁿ lâi hó̤;

well-favored.

thiaⁿ tîeh cin hó̤;

really good to hear.

thóiⁿ tîeh sît-căi hó̤;

considered it truly excellent.

cîah tîeh cin-sît hó̤ câi;

found by eating it that it was indeed excellent.

tŏiⁿ it hó̤;

of the best sort.

phòng tîeh hó̤ chái-thâu;

met with a lucky chance.

hó̤ chái;

good luck.

hó̤ sim-tn̂g;

good-hearted.

hó̤ sî, hó̤ jît;

lucky times and seasons.

cò̤ hó̤ sṳ̄;

to do good.

tàⁿ hó̤ ūe;

speak good words.

hó̤-hó̤ nâng;

in perfect health.

i kâi nâng hó̤ a būe?

Is he well yet?

chŵn hó̤ lío;

he is fully recovered.

hó̤ hùe;

sound goods.

hó̤ tī-hng;

a goodly land.

hó̤ ngŏ̤;

a favorable circumstance.

cò̤ kàu àiⁿ hó̤;

very nearly done.

tiang-sî ŏi tit hó̤?

When will it be done?

àiⁿ hó̤ lío;

it is nearly finished.

cìeⁿ-seⁿ cò̤ hó̤ mē?

Is that the way in which it should be done?

hó̤ cìeⁿ-seⁿ tàⁿ;

it is best to say thus.

cò̤ kàu hó̤-hó̤;

make it nicely.

kîaⁿ hó̤-hó̤;

walk with care.

siu-sîp hó̤ cē;

arrange it better.

hó̤ khṳ̀ a būe?

Should we go yet?

būe hó̤;

it is not well to go yet.

hīn-căi hó̤ khṳ̀;

it will be well to go now.

lṳ́ hó̤ kio i tàⁿ;

you should tell him.

i nŏ̤ nâng sĭang siang-hó̤;

the two are very friendly.

siang-hó̤ phêng-íu;

congenial friends.

i kio úa sĭang-téng siang-hó̤;

he is exceedingly friendly with me.

tàⁿ khṳ̀ khap hó̤;

spoken opportunely.

khap-hó̤ ngŏ̤ tîeh i lâi;

met him just in the nick of time.

lṳ́, hó̤ mē?

You be the one to do it, will you?

i ang cía sĭm sĭ hûa-hó̤;

they, the husband and wife, are very congenial.

kio i tàⁿ hó̤ ūe;

speak comfortably to him.

lṳ́ cêng ìn kùe hó̤;

you have already assented to it.

lṳ́ thóiⁿ tîeh hó̤ mē?

Do you think it will be well to do so?

lṳ́ cài sĭeⁿ thóiⁿ hó̤ a mó̤;

you think it over again, whether it would be well to do it or not.

ka-kī hó̤ khṳ̀;

you should yourself go.

úa mn̄g i, i ìn tàⁿ hó̤;

I asked him and he assented.

• 可hó̤425302
• Suitable; fit; may; ought; can; sign of the potential mood.

hó̤ mē?

Can it be done?

hó̤ a m̄ hó̤?

Is it suitable or not?

sĭ hó̤ sĭ m̄-hó̤ li tàⁿ;

whether it is fit or unfit, say so.

hó̤ kîaⁿ kâi sṳ̄ cìaⁿ kîaⁿ;

what may be done, that do.

hó̤ tàⁿ kâi ūe cìaⁿ tàⁿ;

what ought to be said, that say.

lṳ́ hó̤ sĭeⁿ;

you should think it over.

cí kĭaⁿ mûeh cò̤-nî i hó̤ cîah úa m̄-hó̤ cîah?

How is it that he can eat this and I cannot?

cìeⁿ tōa le, hó̤ lâi thâk cṳ;

being so large, he should go to school.

cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ būe hó̤ cò̤;

this should not yet be done.

lṳ́ hó̤ hàm i khîeh lâi;

you may tell him to bring it.

hó̤ khṳ̀ kìe i lâi;

you go and tell him to come.

mn̂g hó̤ kueⁿ;

shut that door.

chài hó̤ cîah a būe?

Is the meal ready yet?

i sĭ hó̤ sieh kâi nâng;

she is a lovable person.

úa ô̤h cêk kĭaⁿ hó̤ chìe kâi sṳ̄ lṳ́ thiaⁿ;

I will tell you something laughable.

cí tieⁿ chn̂g būe ta, būe hó̤ ēng;

this table is not yet dry enough to be used.

hó̤ líam teng a būe?

shall I light the lamp yet?

lṳ́ tîeh hó̤ hîam i;

you should reprove him.

hó̤ tit tîeh;

deserves; ought to get.

lṳ́ ka-kī hó̤ khṳ̀ cò̤;

you go and do it yourself.

hó̤ cîah;

fit for food; eatable.

• 耗hò̤1731274
• To lay out; to squander; to consume.

cêk nî ŭ jîeh cōi chṳ́ hò̤?

How much is the annual loss from rats?

hò̤ châi;

squanderd wealth.

sĭ hṳ-hò̤ kâi;

it is a useless outlay.

hò̤-sùaⁿ ngŵn-khì; hò̤ tīo sîn-khì;

waste one's energies.

tăi hò̤, sío hò̤;

great and small outlays.

chŵn bô̤ im-hò̤;

have no tidings whatever.

cìeⁿ kú bô̤ im bô̤ hò̤;

for ever so long there has been no tidings from it.

lṳ́ màiⁿ tó̤ cò̤ hò̤;

do not be playing tricks there.

• 訛hò̤6261494
• False; erroneous.

hò̤ thŵn;

erroneous preaching.

íⁿ hò̤ thŵn hò̤;

to propagate idle rumors.

hò̤-cà nâng kâi cîⁿ-ngṳ̂n;

extort money by false pretenses.

hò̤-cà nâng kâi châi-mûeh;

get goods by illegal means.

hò̤ ngân;

deceitful promises.

• 何hô̤21595
• Wherefore; how; what; why.

jû hô̤?

In what way?

hô̤ m̄ khṳ̀ nē?

Why should you not go?

hô̤ pit?

Why should it be?

lṳ́ hô̤ pit jû chṳ́?

Why should you do so?

bô̤ khó̤ năi hô̤;

there is no help for it.

bô̤ năi hô̤;

there is no other way.

ûi hô̤ cìeⁿ-seⁿ?

Why is it thus?

sĭ hô̤ ŵn-kù?

What is the reason for it?

bô̤ năi úa hô̤;

it is nothing to me.

hô̤ cêng cìeⁿ-seⁿ?

How can it be thus?

kìu kéng lú hô̤ só̤ tit?

In the end what will you obtain thereby?

lṳ́ hô̤ m̄ cá cē lâi?

Why did you not come earlier?

hô̤-íⁿ cìeⁿ-seⁿ?

Why is it thus?

lṳ́ hô̤ ēng cìeⁿ-seⁿ?

Why should you do that?

lṳ́ só̤ cò̤ hô̤ sṳ̄?

What have you been doing?

• 豪hô̤1711527
• A porcupine.

hô̤-tṳ;

a hedge-hog.

hô̤-tṳ cìⁿ;

porcupine quills.

phah tîeh ciah hô̤-tṳ;

killed a porcupine.

• 壕hô̤1713214
• A fosse; a ditch; a moat.

sîaⁿ hô̤;

a city moat.

ŭ sîaⁿ cĭu ŭ sîaⁿ hô̤;

if there is a city there is a city moat.

sîaⁿ li kûiⁿ, sîaⁿ hô̤ li chim;

the city wall is high, and the moat deep.

• 河hô̤215855
• A river into which other rivers run.

n̂g-hô̤;

the Yellow River.

cīeⁿ hô̤;

the upper part of the river.

ĕ hô̤;

the lower part of the river.

tō hô̤;

to cross the river by ferry.

tah kùe hô̤;

take passage across the river.

khoi-hô̤;

rivers; large streams.

hô̤ khoi;

the Milky Way.

thiⁿ-hô̤ thàng thiⁿ-hô̤;

the Milky Way runs into the Milky Way.

hô̤-khoi tùi hîah, ō-kíaⁿ hó̤ cîah;

when the Milky Way is overhead, the taro is edible.

hô̤-khoi tùi tang ō-kíaⁿ ŏi sang;

when the Milky Way is on the meridian the taro is mealy.

• 和hŏ̤254305
• To sing a second; to make rhymes to.

sûi siaⁿ hù hŏ̤;

he always agrees to what one says.

cêk nâng chìang, peh nâng hŏ̤;

one man chants and all the others follow him.

hŏ̤ móng nâng kâi si;

cap the rhymes of a certain person.

• 號hō̤1731417
• A mark; a label; a signal; a description or class; to mark or designate.

hō̤ lĕng;

word of command.

jī hō̤;

the character used as a mark.

nán sĭm-mih pó̤ hō̤?

What is the sign of your shop?

phò hō̤;

trade mark.

tŏiⁿ it hō̤;

first-best.

tŏiⁿ kúi hō̤ kâi hùe?

What class of goods?

cò̤ kâi hō̤; ūe kâi hue hō̤;

make a mark as a sign.

tah kâi hō̤;

paste on a label.

cang kò̤ tek chah cò̤ hō̤;

stick in a piece of bamboo as a mark.

ēng sĭm-mîh kháu-gṳ́ cò̤ hō̤;

use some word as a signal.

cía sĭ tŏiⁿ jī hō̤ kâi;

this is the second best sort.

sĭ tōa hō̤ kâi a sòi hō̤ kâi?

Is it of the larger or the smaller sort?

tèng kâi ho̤;

make a mark by driving a stamp.

pun hō̤-thâu;

give a signal by blowing a blast.

i mīn tèng ŭ cêk kò̤ ki hō̤ hó̤ jīn;

he has a mark on his face by which he may be recognized.

ŭ jîeh cōi hō̤ siaⁿ?

How many brands are there?

kùe hō̤;

pass the office where the brands are affixed.

chiak-hō̤;

an epithet or nickname.

i kâi chiak-hō̤ khṳt nâng kìe-cò hóⁿ;

he is nicknamed the tiger.

kî hō̤;

signal by flag.

līu hō̤ kî khí-khṳ̀;

raise a signal flag.

thóiⁿ i līu sĭm-mih kî hō̤;

see what signal he raises.

pàng hō̤ phàu;

fire a salute or signal.

cò̤ kâi àm hō̤;

give a secret sign.

hō̤ pâng;

the room where marks are affixed.

kùa hō̤;

affix the mark.

hō̤ i; hō̤ kùa;

a soldier's uniform.

kok hō̤;

the name of a dynasty.

nî hō̤;

the style of a reign.

pîet hō̤; mîaⁿ hō̤;

the name taken on coming to manhood or on entering office; the style or designation of persons of position.

íⁿ-keng khṳt úa hō̤ khṳ̀ lío;

I have already set a mark on that.

lṳ́ kâi huap-hō̤ sĭ sĭm-mûeh?

What is your priestly name?

• 賀hō̤2161545
• To felicitate; to send congratulations.

hō̤ hí!

Joy be with you!

lâi kio i sie hō̤;

congratulate him.

hō̤ sīu; hō̤ nâng seⁿ-jît;

send congratulations upon a birthday.

hō̤ nî:

send New Year greetings.

hō̤ lói;

articles sent as presents, upon some happy occasion.

peh kuaⁿ chîo hō̤;

a general levee.

hō̤ nâng chūa bó, hō̤ nâng seⁿ tau-kíaⁿ;

send congratulations on a wedding day, or on the birth of a son.

khó̤ hí khó̤ hō̤;

what one may be congratulated upon.

khèng hō̤;

to congratulate.

kiong hō̤;

“with compliments.”

• 荷hō̤2161407
• The small leaved variety of the water-lily.

hō̤-pau;

a purse shaped like the leaf of a water lily.

hō̤-lang kok;

Holland.

hō̤-lang cṳ̂;

Irish potatoes.

hō̤-lang bé-kùa;

a riding jacket of azure camlet.

• 示衆hō̤-nīa763
• To admonish the people, as by an execution; to use as a warning to others; to deter by a warning.

kê tŏ̤ cìe-piah côiⁿ hō̤-nīa;

wearing the cangue, before the wall that screens the door of the yamun, in order to admonish others not to do likewise.

cai hĭⁿ-cìⁿ lío, khang khṳ̀ kak îaⁿ hō̤-nīa;

having had an arrow thrust through his ear, was lead around to each of the garrisons as a warning.

màiⁿ tó̤ hō̤-nīa;

do not be one whose career is a warning to others.

• 祐hō̤11151135
• To protect, to shield, to defend as gods or spirits may.

pó̤-hō̤;

to give divine protection.

• 當hō̤8571028
• To meet; to bear.

hō̤ huang;

to be exposed to the wind.

ciang-sî khṳ̀ tó̤ hō̤ mêⁿ huang, cò̤ úa li màiⁿ;

if I were you I would not go out just now in the night air.

cí hûe cìeⁿ jûah tîeh lâi hái-kîⁿ cìn-lîang kò̤, hō̤ hái huang cìaⁿ hó̤;

just now, when it is so warm, one should go to a shady spot on the shore and get the sea-breeze.