Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/ki

by Adele Marion Fielde

ki

• 期ki344748
• A full year of twelve or thirteen months.

ki nî kâi hà;

a full year of mourning.

i kâi thiap cò̤-nî chut cò ki-hôk hu, bô̤ chut cò̤ cĭang-ki hu?

How is it that the notice she has issued of her husband's funeral says "mourning" instead of "deep mourning"?

• 姬ki336388
• A handsome girl or woman.

ki-chiap;

a concubine.

cía sĭ i lăi kâi ki-chiap hùe;

this is one of his concubines.

i lăi ŭ jîeh cōi kâi ko̤-ki?

How many singing-girls do they keep?

• 機ki3337512
• Changes; motions; the origin or spring of; a principle; a natural cause.

ki-hŭe;

an occasion, an opportunity, a chance.

ŭ sĭm-mih ki-hŭe a bô̤?

Is there any favorable opening for it or not?

sĕng cí kâi ki-hŭe;

avail ourselves of this opportunity.

cí hûe ŭ hó̤ ki-hŭe;

there is just now a good chance.

chūe thóiⁿ ŭ ki-hŭe a-bô̤;

find out whether there is a favorable opportunity.

ki-kwn;

designs, intentions, motives.

cí kâi ki-kwn chíen;

the design is very transparent.

úa thóiⁿ phùa i kâi ki-kwn;

I see through his design.

ŭ kìen-sek kâi nâng kìⁿ ki jṳ̂ cak;

an experienced person sees his chance and improves it at the right moment.

cía sît căi sĭ sîn ki mīo sǹg;

this is indeed a marvelous contrivance.

sit cí kâi ki-hŭe khó̤-sieh căi;

it is a great pity that this chance should be lost.

i kâi nâng thien-ki căi;

he has a natural bent toward thought and meditation.

thien-ki m̄ hó̤ siap-lāu;

the decrees of fate are not to be divulged.

ki-khá;

dextrously, skillfully; shrewd, astute, clever.

kun-ki-chù;

the General Council of State.

ēng cĭn sim ki;

using every power of mind for its accomplishment.

sien ki to bô̤ siap-lāu;

destiny is not divulged.

cía sĭ ki-cĭeⁿ-pêh, a sĭ sin-hŭe-tĭu?

Is this Swatow grass-cloth or Cantonese grass-cloth?

i kâi ki-pìen peh chut;

his device is divulged.

bô̤ ki sû;

not having that which would tend to the accomplishment of it.

kun-ki tăi-chîn;

the members of the Council of State.

bô̤ ki hó̤ sêng;

no opportunity to avail one's self of.

ki khì kêk;

a machine shop.

• 枝ki55754
• A branch; a twig; a classifier of slender things, such as knives, pencils, spears, and needles.

chīu ki;

a branch of a tree.

hue ki;

flowering twigs.

á cêk ki lâi chah;

break off a stem to put in the hair.

chīu cèng lío hwt sún, hwt hîeh, pun a, pun ki, khui hue, kit cí;

after a tree is planted it puts forth sprouts and leaves, and divides into forks and branches, and then blossoms and bears fruit.

tòa cêk ki kun khṳ̀ phêng châk;

lead a detachment of troops to quell the insurgents.

i ki ke-hú ngĕ căi, cêk ki hó̤ thâi îaⁿ câp ki;

his weapons are very hard, so that one of them will outlast ten other ones in a fight.

i lêng-ūaⁿ pîet seⁿ ki cak chut lâi;

it has again sprouted up.

ki sî;

a spoon.

ki tek-ko̤;

a bamboo pole.

ki sìⁿ;

a fan.

nŏ̤ ki ciap cò̤ cêk ki;

splice the two together lengthwise.

hiah tŏ̤ chīu ki;

perched on the branch of a tree.

cí ki pîaⁿ-bó ŭ jîeh cōi nâng?

How many men are there in this detachment of troops?

bô̤ lṳ́ cí ki tek-kía̤, cū pâk m̄ cîaⁿ pâi!

And you suppose that if we do not have this little bamboo pole of yours we cannot then make up the raft!

kàu ki sam;

a whole stick of timber.

kàu ki cū khîa khṳ̀;

went off with the whole stick.

cêk ki kṳ̀ cò̤ nŏ̤ kûeh;

saw it in two.

cn̂g ki cò̤ cē àn khṳ̀;

the whole stick has decayed throughout its length.

cêk ki kha céng kàu tōa-tōa ki;

his leg has swollen up very large.

i ki phīⁿ ngíaⁿ căi;

he has a handsome nose.

ki chíu chun chut lâi kio sam-kíaⁿ hìeⁿ tōa;

he stretched out an arm as large as a small log.

• 卟ki335253
• To ask the spirits to decide; seek counsel or aid of spirits.

ki tîeh cò̤-nî tàⁿ?

What advice did you get from the spirits?

cía sĭ tŏ̤ lău-îa kò̤ ki kâi;

this is what was obtained through consultation with the god.

khṳ̀ sîn kò̤ ki lâi, li tàⁿ hó̤;

went and consulted the spirits, and got an affirmative response.

• 乩ki33555
• To seek counsel or aid of spirits by a stylus; a stick used to write charms in the dust.

láu-îa kàng ki;

the god descends to the medium of communication with him.

phah tī-tîang cò̤ tâng-ki?

Of whom is he going to take possession?

úa thóiⁿ-kîⁿ kâi tâng-ki chôk-chôk thìo;

I saw a spirit-medium careening along.

ki sien;

to consult the fairy.

hû ki;

to write a charm on a table covered with dust or ashes by allowing the hand to move itself.

• 基ki336328
• A basis; a foundation; a point d'appui.

tī-ki thūn hó̤ a būe?

Is the site for it yet filled in?

ki-cí ŭ jieh khuah?

How broad is the base?

cĭu kú ki-cí lâi khí;

build on the old foundations.

chàng-lîp ki-ngîap;

to found an estate.

cí kò tī sĭ i soiⁿ tiang-sîo kâi chù-ki;

this is the site of his former house.

teng ki;

ascend the throne; come into power.

hûang-tì khí-thâu teng ki;

when the emperor first ascended the throne.

tâng khai-ki kâi hûang-tì kàu taⁿ kúi kâi hûang-tì?

How many emperors have there been from the first of this dynasty until now?

khai-ki có;

the founder of a dynasty.

tâng soiⁿ íⁿ-keng bô̤ sĭm-mih ki-tĭ;

from the first, it has had no sound basis.

hṳ́ kâi a-noⁿ-kíaⁿ bô sĭm-mih kṳn-ki, cí kâi a-noⁿ-kíaⁿ kṳn-ki cū kien-kù;

that child has not much physical stamina, this one has a constitution that can stand a strain.

• 箕ki3361188
• A hemispherical basket with ears.

pùa-ki;

a winnowing basket.

pùn-ki;

baskets for carrying earth.

sa-ki;

a flat round basket.

táu-ki;

a peck measure, used in rice shops.

• 幾ki333529
• Nearly; about; a few; moderately; the recondite parts of a thing or subject.

i pēⁿ kàu ki-hu àiⁿ sí;

he is ill and at the point of death.

kiaⁿ kàu ki-ki-hu jît-àm thóiⁿ-m̄-kìⁿ lō, cìaⁿ kàu;

went on till it was very nearly dark, and we could scarcely see the road, when we arrived.

bô̤ ki cṳ cîⁿ, àiⁿ khìam i kâi mih sṳ̄?

For so small a sum, why run in debt to him?

hâiⁿ kàu taⁿ le, khìam i kâi mih sṳ̄?

having made payments along until now, owes no great amount.

hûang-sĭang jît lí bw̄n ki;

the emperor daily attends to every kind of affair.

• 饑ki33418412
• Dearth; scarcity; famine; hungry.

hṳ́ kâi tī-hng tōa ki-hng;

there is a famine in that country.

ki-hng kâi tī-hng ŭ jieh khuah?

Over how wide a region does the famine extend?

cek kok hûang ki;

lay up grain against time of dearth.

ki-hng kàu gō̤ sí;

starved to death through failure of the harvest.

ki-hng sî-coih kâi sî-hāu;

times of scarcity.

phìn-khîong kâi nâng sĭu ki sĭu hâng, chám căi; pù kâi nâng cū ío kōi, būe ki li cū cìn cîah, bûe hâng li cū cìn i;

the poor suffer hunger and cold and are distressed: the rich have an easier time, for before they are hungry food is brought them and before they are cold their clothes made ready for them to put on.

• 笄ki3351186
• A broad hair-pin laid across the back of the head so as to bind and support the coiffure; to do up the hair in the style of a girl of marriageable age.

nî iⁿ-keng kîp ki;

she is now of a marriageable age.

cṳ-nîe hùe câp-ngŏ hùe cū kîaⁿ ki-lói, ta-op hùe cū kīaⁿ kẁn-lói;

girls of fifteen have their hair dressed in the style for married women, and boys of the same age are capped.

• 稽ki33511510
• To examine into by comparing documents, facts, or circumstances.

bô̤ hó̤ ki-chê;

have not the means of investigating.

ki-chê m̄ chut;

cannot search it out.

cía sǹg sĭ bô̤ ki cṳ thâm;

these may be reckoned as unfounded assertions.

ki-chak tham kuaⁿ u-lī;

investigate the wrong doings of covetous officials.

bô̤ kò̤ hó̤ ki kháu;

have no books wherein to hunt out the quotation.

• 羈ki33512219
• To detain in durance; a lockup.

i tó̤ kẃn ki-só̤;

he has charge of the lockup in a yamun.

kuaⁿ lîah i khṳ̀ siu ki;

the magistrate seized him and put him in jail.

i chíaⁿ nâng khṳ̀ káng ki lói;

he has asked some one to go and negociate concerning the amount of money to be presented to the jailor on letting

him out.

kẃn ki kâi nâng kah ki lăi kâi lău hŭam cū àiⁿ lâng-ûi i;

the jailor and the criminals in the lockup try to torment him.

ki kâi;

a tablet on which verdicts are written.

• 譏ki33414912
• To mock; to satirize; to laugh at.

cang ūe ki-chǹg;

jeered at him.

cèng nâng tó̤ ki-chìe i;

they are all deriding him.

ki-chío;

to ridicule.

nâng tó̤ ki-chío i, i thiaⁿ m̄ pat tò̤ khṳ̀;

when people are scoffing at him, he does not understand what they say.

• 畿ki33410210
• The demesne which in ancient times pertained to the Emperor; it measured a thousand li on each side, the court being in the centre; the court.

kiaⁿ-ki;

the capital, the region about the palace.

kiaⁿ-ki kâi tī-hng ío ngîam-sok

in the vicinity of the Imperial palace, the regulations are strict.

• 肌ki3341302
• The flesh or firm muscle under the skin.

pôih tâk seⁿ ki;

draw out the poison and produce firm flesh.

ki-hu sòi-jī;

of fine firm fiber; muscular; brawny.

• 指kí57646
• To indicate by pointing toward.

i tó̤ kí cí kí hṳ́;

he is pointing hither and thither.

kí lâi kí khṳ̀;

point back and forth.

lṳ́ kí úa thóiⁿ;

you point it out to me.

thóiⁿ i kí tùe tī-kò̤ khṳ̀;

see where he points.

thèng kí;

point at random.

kí tang kí sai;

pointing indiscriminately.

kô līo kô kàu sí, būe lă sai-kong cêk ē kí;

you may work yourself to death making paper articles, but you can't make too many for a priest to dispose of at one wave of his hand.

• 己kí337490
• One's self; myself; private, personal, special.

cṳ̆-kí;

one's self.

cṳ̆-kí àiⁿ kâi;

what I myself desire.

lṳ́ úa sǹg sĭ ti kí phêng-íu;

you and I may be reckoned as friends who know each other.

uaⁿ hūn síu kí;

attend to one's own special duties.

khŵn put îu kí;

I am not my own master.

thăi nâng jû kí;

treat others as you would yourself be treated.

cèng cîⁿ m̄ siêh, kí cîⁿ bô̤;

if you are not saving of the common fund, your own share will he missing.

• 几kí337160
• A bench or low table.

úa àiⁿ cò̤ tieⁿ kí-chn̂g;

I want a small low table made.

tê kí;

a tea-poy.

khàng kí;

a low table, placed on a divan, to lean upon.

phŭe kí;

small stands used upon a couche.

kha-búe-kí;

a lamp-stand to set at the foot of a bed.

• 紀kí3371203
• A year; a period of twelve years; annals; to write down.

i kim nî ŭ sĭm-mih nî-kí?

What is his age now?

i kâi nî-kí ío khin, m̄ pí i sĭ nî-kí lău;

he is still rather young, and it is not as if he was aged.

kí-lôk cêk chṳ̤̀;

honorably recorded in the Civil Office.

ceng sīu cêk kí;

added twelve more years to his life.

i sĭ cò̤ síe keng-kí kâi nâng;

he is one who trades in a small way.

nî kí cē lău-tōa mih sṳ̄ cū cò̤ m̄ lâi;

when advanced in years, one can do nothing.

• 計kì3381492
• A partner; an assistant; a comrade.

phò lăi ēng kúi kâi húe-kì?

How many clerks are employed in the shop?

cí kâi seng-lí sĭ ka-kī kâi, a sĭ kio nâng cò̤ húe-kì;

is this business wholly your own, or have you a partner in it?

cêk húe-kì íⁿ-keng thiah chut khṳ̀;

one partner has withdrawn from the firm.

• 記kì3401493
• To record; to register; to fix in the mind.

i kâi mîaⁿ kì-lôk tŏ̤ kò̤;

his name is registered.

cò̤ kâi kì-hō̤;

make a written sign.

sìaⁿ cṳ tèng ŭ kì;

it is written in the holy books.

sí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ kiaⁿ tèng cò̤-nî kì?

What is written in the scriptures in regard to this?

úa īa-sĭ kíang kì saⁿ kùe cū pat;

if I read it over three times with my mind firmly fixed upon it I shall know it.

míen-kíang lâi kì;

force one's self to keep a thing in mind.

úa bûang-kì khṳ̀;

I have forgotten it.

kì-lĭam;

to bear in mind.

• 既kì339717
• An adverb of time; when; since; already; a sign of the past tense.

kì sĭ cìeⁿ-seⁿ cū tîeh cai;

since it is thus, it is best to know it.

kì-jîen jû chṳ́, màiⁿ tàⁿ;

it being thus, say nothing about it.

ki sĭ thóiⁿ-kìn, cò̤-nî m̄ pat i?

Since you have seen him why do you not know him?

cía sǹg sĭ kì úang kâi sṳ̄;

this is something that is past and gone.

kì ŭ cí kâi sṳ̄ lṳ́ cò̤-nî m̄ tàⁿ?

Since this condition of things exists, why do you not say so?

kì-jîen sĭ hàuⁿ, cò̤-nî hŵn lío tó̤ tau khie?

Since he assents to it, why is he still putting impediments in the way?

kì-keng kuaⁿ-hú sím kùe kúi chṳ̀ cò̤-nî bŏi tît?

Seeing that the magistrate has already had the case before him several times why is it not settled?

• 繼kì33812014
• A line of succession in kindred; to continue on, as one taking the duties or place of another; to adopt an heir; successively; hereditary.

kì bó̤;

a step-mother, or an adopted mother.

kì sit;

a second wife.

sĭ kì chú kâi bó;

it is the wife that was taken in addition to one already married.

cêk kì bô̤ nŏ̤ kì;

only one can occupy the second place.

i kâi sòi kâi kíaⁿ kùe kì pun i a-hiaⁿ;

he passed his youngest son over to his elder brother, to be his heir.

i hṳ́ cêk pang-thâu kì m̄ phû, kàu kúi câp nî ău cìaⁿ kì tit khí;

that branch of the family did not increase in numbers through the adopted heir, until after several tens of years, when it flourished through the young clansmen adopted.

cí kâi kíaⁿ kì tit khí i a-pê kâi cì;

this son carries out his father's plans.

cía kì i a-pĕ kâi sṳ̄, kì m̄ khí;

this one is not able to fill his father's place.

• 痣kì611047
• A mole; black or red spots on the body.

i kâi mīn tèng cêk lîap kì;

she has a mole on her face.

sĭ o kì a sĭ âng kì?

Is it a black or a brown mole?

kì tèng kah nŏ̤ tîo mô̤ⁿ ho̤h tn̂g;

there are two long hairs growing from the mole.

• 棋kî343758
• The game of chess, played with thirty-two men; games similar to chess.

nán lâi teh kî;

let us play chess.

sĭ àⁿ teh chĭeⁿ-kî, a teh ûi-kî?

Shall we play chess or draughts?

ûi-kî;

a game played with 360 pieces, on a board with 361 squares.

kî pō;

the moves in chess.

cí pō kî tōiⁿ căi;

that was a first rate move.

cí pō kî kîaⁿ khṳ̀ kàu, cū cîah tîeh i cêk lîap;

by this move you will take one of his men.

phah kî-kêk, kîaⁿ pō sĭ âng soiⁿ, o ău;

in laying out a game of chess, the red moves first, and the black next.

úa pái kâi kî kêk lṳ́ phah;

I will lay out a problem in chess for you to solve.

tāⁿ cêk pō, kî tīaⁿ-tīaⁿ cū su;

if you make but one false move you will lose the game.

i âi kî ío tōiⁿ, lṳ́ kâi kî teh i m̄ kùe;

he is a better player than you, and you cannot win the game against him.

lṳ́ ŭ kî-pûaⁿ li bô̤ kî-cí, úa ŭ kî-cí li bô̤ kî-pûaⁿ;

you have a chess-board, but no men: I have chess-men, but no board.

taⁿ cí cêk tieh kî cū cûah tōa-bó-mûeh;

this set of chess-men now lacks ever so many of being complete.

lṳ́ kâi kî hó̤ nĭe i ŭ cêk lîap cí;

in the game played you should give him a man.

phàⁿ-kî īa ŭ sîn sien pō;

even in the game of fox-and-geese there are deep moves.

hûa kî;

a drawn game.

âng sèng;

the red won.

cêk hù kî cí;

a set of chess-men.

kî bô̤ chîang kun;

one does not repeatedly check with the same move.

i kâi kî sí lío;

he is check-mated.

• 旗kî3447010
• A flag, a banner, a standard.

kî-kuaⁿ;

a flag staff.

cêk ki kî;

a flag.

kî-jîn;

bannermen.

kî-kūaⁿ táu;

an ornament at the top of a flagstaff.

seng kî;

hoist a flag.

kî līu khí khṳ̀ a būe?

Is the flag run up yet?

lṳ́ thóiⁿ kî cêng lô̤h a būe;

see whether the flag is hauled down yet or not.

cí ki kî tōa ki, o̤h līu;

this flag being large is difficult to hoist.

cheng tău kî;

a banner borne ahead, to clear the way for a procession.

i kâi kî sĭ sĭm-mih hō̤?

What is the device on his banner?

kî-chì pái-lîet kàu chīam-chīam;

flags and streamers ranged at symmetrical distances.

i kâi cûn chah ŭ kî;

their boat carries a flag.

i tó̤ khîa cóng tūi kî;

he carries the regimental flag.

sì-pang kî;

oblong flags.

saⁿ-kak kî;

triangular flags.

kî-lĕng thiaⁿ;

the head-quarters of the commander.

hue-kî-kok;

a common name for the United tates.

Stăi-cheng-kok kâi kî-hō̤ sĭ ēng saⁿ-kak n̂g kî, tìn-tang ūe lêng kâi;

the Chinese flag is a yellow triangular one, with a dragon in the centre.

ngŏ sek kî;

a many colored flag.

nĭoⁿ-hóⁿ cùe àiⁿ kă khîa tōa kî kâi;

the tiger always falls upon the chief flag-bearer.

kî-jîn sǐ hun cò̤ poih kî;

the bannermen are divided into eight corps.

• 技kĭ347644
• Skill; dexterity.

i cêk chíu hó̤ kĭ gōi;

he is very dextrous.

lâi thóiⁿ nâng phah kĭ íong;

come and see these sleight of hand performances.

taⁿ to hăng tit thóiⁿ-kìⁿ nâng khṳ̀ cìn câp kĭ;

we now seldom see one who is dextrous in all the various sorts of physical exercises.

• 伎kĭ34194
• Clever, talented.

kĭ-khá;

ingenious.

thóiⁿ i tíen sĭm-mih kĭ-líang chut lâi;

see what talent he displays.

• 妓kĭ341384
• A courtesan; a singing-girl.

kĭ-ńng;

a prostitute.

i sĭ tó̤ tng kĭ kâi nâng;

she is one who gets her living by vice.

kĭ-kẃn ;

a brothel.

i sĭ tŏ̤ kĭ-kẃn chut sin;

she came out of a brothel.

• 忌kĭ340613
• To shun; to avoid; to keep aloof from; to dislike; a shrinking from; jealous; antipathy.

kò-kĭ;

envy; jealousy.

i kâi nâng kò-kĭ căi;

he is of a very jealous disposition.

mih sṳ̄ to sĭ kò-kò kĭ-kĭ ;

is jealous about to all sorts of things.

i sĭang téng kĭ i;

she has the greatest dread of him.

m̄ cai kĭ i mih sṳ̄;

do not know why he shuns him.

i sĭm sĭ kĭ nâng ŭ châi-chêng ;

he is very envious of other people's ability.

cò̤ mih sṳ̄ to bô̤ kĭ-tǎng ;

he acts without respect for anybody.

cùe pĭ-kĭ cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄;

keep as far aloof as possible from this sort of thing.

cí kǐaⁿ sṳ̄ tó̤ cí kâi tī-hng sĭ tōa pī-kĭ kái;

in this region the utmost pains is taken to avoid doing this.

peh sṳ̄ bô̤ kìm-kĭ;

have no superstitious dread in doing any sort of thing.

kíaⁿ-jît kĭ sîn, mn̂g-khí-cá cò̤-nî ŭ hì;

to-day is the anniversary of the emperor's death, and how was it that there was a play this morning?

kĭ jît;

to avoid doing something upon a certain day, as the anniversary of a day when a friend died.

ŭ nâng cò̤ cêk kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ cū kĭ cìeⁿ kĭ hìeⁿ, úa li lóng-cóng bô̤ kǐ;

some people, in doing things, shun this and shun that in superstitious fear: as for me I do not shrink from doing things at any time whatever.

• 悸kĭ340618
• Perturbed; uneasy; a sudden start.

i cìeⁿ-sî tit kâi kiaⁿ-kĭ kâi pēⁿ;

he has lately a disease arising from nervous agitation.