Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/ku

by Adele Marion Fielde

ku

• 龜ku4812130
• The tortoise and terrapin; some kinds of beetles.

ku pùe;

arched over like a terrapin’s back.

lâi khṳ̀ pok kâi ku khùe;

let us go and divine by means of the markings on a tortoise shell.

ku-khak hó̤ pok-khùe;

the shell of the tortoise may be used in divination.

ēng cò̤ ku-páng ío cṳ im, cṳ pó nâng sin-tèng kâi im hūn;

make use of the breastplate or plastron of the tortoise to enrich the blood, and to strengthen the body.

kim ku hāi mīaⁿ;

the tortoise that laid golden nuggets cost his owner his life.

hang-ku tûi heng;

the starry ray beating its breast; unavailing regrets.

kim ku thut khak;

an empty tortoise shell.

lâi bói cē hang-ku-jîe lâi cîah cṳ im;

buy a little dried skate skin to take as a strengthening medicine.

hang-ku phīⁿ;

the snout of the skate.

cúi ku;

the water beetle.

chiah bí ku;

the box turtle.

ku cûa;

reptiles.

ku cûa kau-hŭe;

creeping things affiliate with each other.

ku lêng ho̤h sǹg;

very long lived.

• 傴ku1126911
• Hunchbacked; to stoop.

ku ie;

hunchbacked.

ie ku kàu phak-phak;

he is bent almost double.

i kâi ie seⁿ lâi tàm-ku tàm-ku nē;

he is very round shouldered.

i sĭ in-ûi tăng mûeh teh tîeh tì-kàu ku ie;

he became hunchbacked by carrying heavy burdens.

i kâi ie ku-ku;

he is much bent.

phak-ku lô̤h khṳ̀ khîeh;

stoop down and pick it up.

sin cē ku kĕ cū íam kìⁿ;

as soon as he bent down he espied it.

• 好幾ku-ā171
• Several; many.

ku-ā hûe;

ever so many times.

ku-ā tńg;

several times.

ku-ā kâi;

quite a number of them.

ku-ā nâng;

a good many persons.

• 辜ku4321605
• A fault; a crime; a failure in duty; a dereliction; sin, guilt.

bô̤ ku;

innocent.

bô̤ ku sĭu lŭi;

compromised when guiltless.

chò̤ suah bô̤ ku;

killed the innocent.

i to bô̤ ku ā;

he is not at fault.

• 韭ku4141790
• Scallions or chives.

ku-chài;

chives.

ku-chài thng;

broth made with scallions.

• 蠱kú43414217
• The 18th diagram; a slow poison; to harass with doubts.

úa pok tîeh kâi khùe sĭ kú khùe;

I cast and threw the eighteenth diagram, referring to occupation.

kàng pĕ cṳ kú;

follow a father’s calling.

cí īeⁿ îeh hó̤ tī kú tâk;

this medicine is an antidote for slow poison.

i sī tó̤ kú-hok nâng sim;

he is disquieting people's minds.

• 嘏kú3523011
• Great felicity or prosperity; propitious.

tī-tîang tó̤ thâk kú--sṳ̂?

Who is reading the invocation?

• 久kú41342
• Enduring; lasting; to continue a long time.

chîang-kú kâi sṳ̄;

a protracted affair.

kú-kú lâi cŏ̤;

come in often and sit awhile.

ho̤h kú;

a long while.

màiⁿ khah kú;

do not be too long about it.

bói ŭ jîeh kú lío?

How long ago did you buy it?

lâi jîeh ŭa kú, hŵn-lío m̄ cai;

came ever so long ago, and still did not know it.

cí īeⁿ sek m̄ năi kú;

this color is not a durable one.

nî tn̂g gûeh kú, khuaⁿ-khuaⁿ sio-sîh;

it gradually diminishes in size all the time.

cîeh kîaⁿ kú ŏi kng-kût;

the rolling stone becomes smooth.

táng ŭ cêk jît kú;

waited a whole day.

tn̂g-tn̂g kú-kú;

forever.

kú pîet lío;

long parted.

cìeⁿ-sî kú ûi;

we

have not met lately.

kú ngíang tōa mîaⁿ;

have long respected you.

bô̤ ŭa kú;

not very long.

hiah kàu saⁿ jît kú, màiⁿ khṳ̀ thăng i;

do not touch it for three days.

kú pēⁿ lău ui kuaⁿ;

when one has long been sick he knows all about the doctors.

jú kú jú kèng;

the longer you know him the more you will respect him.

hŭam sṳ̄ tîeh ŏi sĭeⁿ kú-tn̂g;

in every affair one must think of the ultimate results.

khĭa-khí kú cū sêk;

when you have lived long in a place you become familiar with it.

cò̤ cìeⁿ kú?

Why have you been so long about it?

lṳ́ khṳ̀ hìeⁿ ku, khṳ̀ tì-kò?

Where have you been, that you have been gone so long?

cok-cok ŭ kâi sî-sîn kṳ́, hŵn m̄ hàuⁿ hiah;

has been at it for a full hour, and still will not stop.

kú-kú tŏ̤-kò̤;

is always there.

ēng kú cū cai;

after having used it for a long time you will know.

kàu kú cìaⁿ cai;

found it out after a long while.

kú-kú thâk m̄ pat;

never learns anything by study.

nín cò̤-nî kú-kú tó̤ sńg;

why are you all the time playing.

úa thóiⁿ i cîah m̄ kú li;

I do not think she will live long.

jîp khṳ̀ cêk tōa kùa kú hŵn būe chut;

has been in there fully half a day and has not yet come out.

cía sĭ kú nî kâi mûeh;

this is a thing that is to be used for many years.

kú sì sieⁿ ceng, kú ŏ̤ sieⁿ khì, kú lîp sieⁿ kṳn;

protracted study injures the vital force, much lying down is hurtful to the constitution, standing too long harms the sinews.

kú ŭaⁿ hông kam hŏ;

have a refreshing shower after a long drought.

kú hŏ hí sin cêⁿ;

after a long rain one rejoices in a clear sky.

kú bŭn tōa mîaⁿ;

have long heard about Your Excellency.

sṳ̄ kú kìⁿ nâng sim;

when a business is long protracted, the true characters of people are revealed by it.

• 賈kú4341546
• A shopman; a resident or settled trader, as distinguished from a travelling one.

kîaⁿ siang, cŏ̤ kú;

travelling traders, and resident dealers.

sṳ lông kong kú;

literary men, agriculturalists, artisans and merchants.

• 灸kù413863
• To cauterize; to raise blisters by burning moxa or the dried tinder of the Artemisia on the skin.

i ŏi cam kù;

he understands the use of the lancet and of cautery.

ēng húe lâi kù cū hó̤;

it will be well to cauterize it with fire.

cang hīaⁿ-mîⁿ lâi kù;

apply moxa and cauterize it.

kù ŭ kúi câp càng;

cauterized several tens of times.

kù kâi huap sĭ ēng hīaⁿ-jông lâi kù;

the method of cauterization is by burning moxa on the skin.

• 顧kù43518112
• To look after; to attend to; to care for, to regard; to consider; to patronize.

cò̤ sṳ̄ to tîeh kù côiⁿ kù ău;

in doing things one must consider both what has preceded and what will follow.

cìo kù;

to bestow patronage upon; to get employment for; to consider the interests of.

i ŭ kẁn-kù i a bô̤?

Is she considerate toward him?

thóiⁿ-kù;

to look after; to attend to.

cía mng sĭ chin nâng, ná lí m̄ thóiⁿ-kù i;

this is a relative, and how can we do other than show regard for him.

síu bú siang kù;

the beginning and the end correspond.

hàm i tîeh cai kwn-kù;

tell him he must take heed.

kù chṳ́ li sit pí, kù pí li sit chṳ́: kang-khó căi;

if we regard this we lose that, and if we give heed to that we miss this: it is indeed trying.

i cò̤-nî m̄ kù ka-kī, toaⁿ kù pât nâng;

why does he not take care of himself, as well as of other people.

cí kù kih-kau pûi, m̄ kù sin-cīeⁿ ui;

cares only to have fat cheeks, and is indifferent about what he wears.

lău cú kù;

an old patron.

hó̤ cú kù;

a good customer.

phài i tó̤ kwn-kù nâng-kheh;

depute him to attend to the visitors.

tîeh cai kẇn-kù tê, kẃn-kù hun;

you must attend to the setting forth of the tea, and of the tobacco.

kù sì-phìⁿ;

to look around on all sides.

īu àiⁿ kù lăi, īu àiⁿ kù gūa, cía tîeh ŭ ho̤h ŏi kâi cìaⁿ lí tit khṳ̀;

the internal and the external relationships have all to be considered in this, and he must be a very able person who can manage it all.

kù chit peh gūa phìⁿ;

looking after a thousand things.

mih-mûeh kù kàu ciap-ciap côi;

takes perfect care of everything.

khùn-kíaⁿ kù cí, khùn-kíaⁿ kù hṳ́, kù m̄ lī;

have so many things to attend to that I cannot look after them all.

ku kàu kûaⁿ lâi li jûah kàu, kù kàu jûah lâi li kûaⁿ kàu;

by the time the work of the cold weather is attended to, summer has come, and by the time the summer’s work is looked after, it is cold weather again.

cìeⁿ-seⁿ úa sĭ kù tîeh i;

in so doing I show regard for him.

i to m̄ kù mn̂g huang;

he does not regard the credit of the house and family.

i sĭang-téng kú ke;

he has great regard for his family.

kù pĕ bó̤, kù bó kíaⁿ, kù hiaⁿ tĭ;

to show consideration for parents, for wife and children, or for brethren.

kù líen;

careful of his reputation.

i cí hûe cṳ̆ kù put hîa, cò̤ ŭ thang kù pât nâng;

he has at present no leisure to look after himself, how should he have the time to look after other people.

tîeh kù pńg cîⁿ;

must take care of your capital.

tăi-kè tîeh sie cìo-kù;

you must all render assistance to each other.

īu àiⁿ kù thâu kù kha;

must look to both ends of it.

• 句kù440302
• A phrase; a sentence; a classifier of phrases; a line in verse.

thâk kàu ŭ kù ŭ tāu;

read with attention to the stops.

i kâi kù tāu hó̤;

his periods are well arranged.

cêk kù cêk kù thâk hīn-hīn;

read it plainly, sentence by sentence.

cí cêk cak cṳ ŭ kúi kù?

How many sentences are there in this verse?

tíam kù kau kó;

punctuate and divide into paragraphs.

m̄ sêng kù;

not a complete sentence.

àiⁿ kâi lṳ́ tàⁿ kṳ̀ ūe;

wants to speak a word with you.

tàⁿ nŏ̤ kù cū hó̤;

speak very briefly.

pĕng bô̤ pùaⁿ kù hṳ-ngân;

has not an unmeaning phrase in it.

i nŏ̤ nâng cṳ̆-lâi bô̤ kù ūe;

the two have not heretofore had words with each other.

i tó̤ cò̤ hó̤ sì kù;

he is making verses.

līam kù si chut lâi;

recited a verse of poetry.

thâk bô̤ kúi kù;

reads but very few lines a day.

i cêk kù cū sĭ cêk kù;

when he says a thing he adheres to it.

màiⁿ tàⁿ ke kù;

do not talk about it any more.

chŵn bô̤ ke kù;

there is nothing more to be said.

i tàⁿ ūe bô̤ kù sît;

there is not a word of truth in what he says.

kṳ̀-kù to sĭ hó̤ ūe;

every word of it is good.

cía sĭ saⁿ kù sì kâi cîⁿ phùaⁿ lâi kâi;

this is merely something that I casually heard, and I do not vouch for its truth.

• 故kù434665
• The cause or reason of a thing; what is purposed; the occasion; the pretext.

ŭ kù;

there is a reason for it.

bô̤ kù;

causelessly.

bô̤ ŵn bô̤ kù;

it is wholly without a cause.

ŭ sĭm-mih ŵn-kù?

What led to it?

kù-chṳ́;

therefore; for this reason.

i m̄ sĭ kù ì cìeⁿ-seⁿ cò̤;

he did not do it intentionally.

bô̤ kù, cū mēⁿ nâng, phah nâng;

reviles and beats people without any reason for it.

cía sǹg sĭ sío kù kâi sṳ̄;

this is a trifling matter.

bô̤ sĭm-mih tōa ŵn-kù;

this is no great matter.

sĭ se-su kâi sòi kù;

is but a slight pretext.

kù hŭam kâi cū bô̤ sìa;

a willful offense is unpardonable.

i sĭ ûi sĭm-mih sṳ̄-kù lâi?

What was the occasion for his coming?

bô̤ sṳ̄ bô̤ kù, àiⁿ lâi mih sṳ̄?

What do you come for, if you have no occasion for coming?

úa mng sĭ ūi lṳ́ cṳ kù cìaⁿ cìeⁿ-seⁿ;

it was on your own account that I did thus.

• 固kù435315
• Firm; fixed; strengthened; to fortify; impervious.

kù-tău sĭ cìeⁿ-seⁿ;

it is surely so.

kien-kù căi;

very stable.

cò̤ kàu kien-kien kù-kù;

make it so that it will be very firm and substantial.

cn̂g kâi m̄ kien m̄ kù;

it is not at all firmly made.

cí kù ūe hó̤ kien-kù i kâi sim;

his mind may be fortified by this remark.

cò̤ sṳ̄ m̄-hó̤ kù cip;

do not be pertinacious.

cē kù-cip cū m̄ thong;

when perverse one is deaf to reason.

i kâi khẃn mih sṳ̄ to sĭ kù-kù cip-cip;

it is his nature to be very pertinacious about everything.

i kâi mûeh cú-kù căi;

his wares are very durable.

jú-kù jú-kù;

lasting; firm and durable.

kù-síu hṳ́ kâi ti-hng;

fortify that place.

• 錮kù4351698
• To close or stop securely; to interfere and prevent.

kù-kín cí-kâi nâng, màiⁿ khṳt i cak-tŏng;

hedge this man up, and now allow him to act.

kù-kín;

to stop up the way; to restrain; to prevent, as good men getting into office; to keep, as one in banishment.

• 痼kù4351048
• A chronic, incurable complaint, such as leprosy, gout or palsy.

kù sí huang;

an incurable ailment.

• 俱kŭ43898
• A collective adjective of number, placed after the noun, and denoting things or people; all, the whole; at once.

bw̄n mûeh kŭ pĭ;

everything is ready.

peh īeⁿ kŭ chŵn;

everything is complete.

cèng nâng kŭ tŏ̤;

they are all there.

sì-chù kŭ ŭ;

they are to be found in every direction.

sì-khùi-kit, sì khùi kŭ ŏi seⁿ;

the four season orange is produced in all the four seasons.

nâng-nâng kŭ cai;

everyone knows.

kŭ sĭ cêk īeⁿ;

it is all the same.

pí chṳ́ kŭ chêng-ngw̆n;

both are willing.

nŏ̤-chù kŭ hàuⁿ;

both assent.

líang-ke kŭ huaⁿ-hí;

both are satisfied.

cí cùaⁿ nâng kŭ sĭ siang-sìn kâi;

all these people are believers in it.

mih mûeh kŭ bô̤;

there is nothing whatever.

cêk chiet kŭ ŭ;

have all of them.

cí cêk pńg cṳ kâi tŏ̤-lí úa kŭ pat;

I know all the doctrines in this book.

• 懼kŭ4406118
• To stand in awe of; fearful.

kiaⁿ-kŭ;

afraid.

sĭm sĭ kù-phàⁿ i;

is in great dread of him.

bô̤ kiaⁿ bô̤ kŭ;

in no fear of.

ùi-kŭ, kùe sĭm;

overmastering awe.

• 斑鳩kŭ-ku412
• The turtle-dove, the wood-pigeon.

kŭ-ku tó̤ kìe;

the wood-dove is calling.

kŭ-ku ŭ sî sĭ kìe cêⁿ, ŭ sî kìe hŏ;

the turtle-dove sometimes utters its note when it is going to clear, and sometimes when it is going to rain.

kŭ-kŭ ku;

the calling of wood-doves.

kŭ-ku cí ciah cē kìe, hṳ́ ciah cū tùe i kìe;

among the wood-doves, when this one calls, that one echoes the note.

• 具kŭ440126
• Utensils; implements; prepared; well arranged; to furnish.

khì-kŭ;

a utensil; a tool.

kṳ́n kŭ kúi īeⁿ lói- mûeh sàng i;

carefully prepare a number of presents to offer him.

tê-kŭ;

a set of tea-dishes.

hun-kŭ;

the articles used in smoking opium.

eng kŭ-cò̤ kâi thiap khṳ̀ chíaⁿ i a mín?

Should we write a formal note and go and invite him thereby, or not?

sai cău hêng kŭ;

privately invent instruments of torture.

thóiⁿ cò̤ kŭ bûn;

he regarded it as a mere form.

kŭ pín nâng;

the one who gets out a warrant.

• 舅kŭ4141347
• The brothers of one's mother or wife.

bó̤ kŭ;

mother's brother.

chi kŭ;

wife's brother.

tōa kŭ, ji kŭ, sòi kŭ;

the eldest, next to the eldest, and the youngest of one's mother's or wife's brothers.

úa kâi a kŭ;

my maternal uncle; my wife's brother.

a kŭ kíaⁿ;

my wife's little brother.

gūa kŭ;

my wife's father.

kŭ seng;

my sister's grown up male children.

a gû kŭ;

a constable of the infernal regions, having a cow's head.

• 故kū434665
• Out of use; former; old.

kū kau;

a former associate.

i kio úa sĭ kū kau;

he is an old acquaintance of mine.

sĭ úa kâi kū nâng;

it is an old employé of mine.

cía sĭ úa kâi kū-nâng-sāi;

this is one of my old customers.

kū hieⁿ;

native village, from which one has been long absent.

kū kok;

fatherland; the old country.

kui tńg kū hieⁿ;

returned to his old home.

kū íu;

an old friend.

• 舊kū41413412
• Old; worn out; defunct; of yore; long kept.

kū sî;

olden times.

m̄ lĭam i kū jît kâi ak;

not call to mind his former sin.

kū nî;

last year.

jêng kū;

as aforetime.

jêng kū sĭ i tó̤ cò̤;

it was he who made them before.

kū mûeh;

relics.

bói kū hùe;

buy second hand goods.

bōi kū i;

sell second hand clothing.

tŏ̤ koi-lō o̤ kū tâng siah lâi bōi kâi;

hawk old brass and pewter wares in the street in order to sell them.

úa thóiⁿ-kìⁿ i pái kâi kū tê-kẁn chin-chĭeⁿ lṳ́ kâi;

I observed that he set out an ancient tea-pot, much like yours.

kū thih-teng;

old nails.

lú cn̂g kâi àiⁿ ēng sin kâi, a àiⁿ cang kū êⁿ sāi, kū hĭa?

Are you going to use what is altogether new, or are you going to use the old timbers and old tiles?

cí kâi saⁿ cò̤-nî chēng bô̤ kúi jît cū kū?

Why is it that this gown is worn out, since you have worn it but a few days?

úa thoiⁿ i chēng kĭaⁿ hôk-sek, nĕ kū-kū nē;

I see that she wears a garment that isvery old.

bô̤ sin cò̤ ǔ kū?

If I have never had new ones how can I have old ones?

kè-cîⁿ cìe kū;

the price is the same as before.

cĭa kū īeⁿ;

follow the same old pattern.

eng-têng eng kàu kū-kū;

it was dusty, with dust that made it appear very old.

cía sĭ ngŵn-kū kâi ki-cí;

this is the old foundation.

ní lài m̄ hó̤, sói bô̤ nŏ̤ kùe cū kū;

it is not well dyed, and will look old before it has been twice washed.

chēng hù pùaⁿ-kū-lô̤h kâi saⁿ-khò;

wear a suit of half worn clothes.

pùaⁿ sin pùaⁿ kū;

neither new nor old.

kū cú;

old master.

kū cṳ put ìam peh hûe thâk;

one does not tire of old books in reading them a hundred times.

un kū cṳ;

well conned books.

bōi tīo ciah kū cûn;

sold an old boat.

chia sin hâiⁿ kū;

take on credit in order to pay off an old score.

khṳ̀ kàu, thóiⁿ tîeh mīn kū-kū;

went near enough to see his face, and saw it was a familiar one.

m̄ khah kū, khah kū m̄ cîaⁿ īeⁿ;

not what is too long kept, that which has been standing too long, is not up to the mark.

sin kū;

does not show age.

kū chù;

an old house.