Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/li

by Adele Marion Fielde

li

• 唎喇li-la521
• Slovenly.

i cò̤ sṳ̄ li-la căi;

she does things in a very slovenly way.

hàm i màiⁿ tó̤ li-la;

tell him not to slur the thing over.

jú tàⁿ jú li-la;

the more you talk to him about it the more untidy he is.

li-li- la-la kâi nâng;

a slovenly lout.

• 䬆li5391827
• Driving, as wind or rain.

huang li-li, chue tîeh hó̤ căi;

there is a strong breeze, pleasant to feel.

gûeh li kng-kng, huang li, li-li;

bright moonlight, and a steady breeze.

• 哩li518307
• An adverbial particle indicating certainty.

tàⁿ khí lâi, ūe tn̂g li;

to tell about it will take a long time.

cí khí cōi cîⁿ li;

this sort is costly.

hó̤ li hó̤, kùi li kùi;

as for the quality it is indeed good, and as for the price it is very dear.

phîⁿ li phîⁿ, cûah cē bô̤ ēng;

as for cheapness, it is cheap, and if it were a little less good it would be good for nothing.

cí kâi li khah sòi, hṳ́ kái li khah tōa;

this is too small and that too large.

īa sĭ kio cí kâi cìaⁿ hó̤ kâi li úa cū àiⁿ;

if it be as good a one as this, I want it.

lō li hn̆g, tó li khùn;

the road is long, and my belly is empty.

• 里lí5181660
• A place of residence; a neighborhood, a village of twenty-five or fifty families; the Chinese mile, reckoned to be 300 paces.

tâng hieⁿ-lí;

fellow villagers.

câp lí cū sĭ cêk phò;

ten Chinese miles are one Chinese league, (equal to 3½ English miles).

cêk lí lō;

a mile.

lî ŭ saⁿ lí hn̆g;

it is three miles away.

choiⁿ lí bé;

a courier or post-boy.

à kuaⁿ kêng, à kúi sí, à lí-tíeⁿ ēng ke bí;

if you argue with the magistrate you will become poor, if you argue with a demon you will die, and if yon argue with the head of your village you will use up a good deal of rice.

• 禮lí52011313
• Rites; ceremonies.

lí pŏ;

the Board of Rites.

lí khue;

the district bureau having charge of state ceremonies.

lí pâng;

the provincial department of rites.

• 理lí519967
• To govern, to manage, to look after, to regulate, to rectify, to adjust according to principle; the governing principle; that which is felt to be right and suitable, and depends not on force; reason; right doctrine; rule of action; among Chinese philosophers, the principle of organization by which matter is preserved, or the power that inheres in it; to depend on; to think of, to regard.

tŏ̤-lí; tău-lí;

right doctrine; correct reason.

thŵn tŏ̤-lí;

to set forth the truth.

sueh tŏ̤-lí;

to expound the correct principles of the thing.

thiⁿ lí;

Heaven's reason, a retributive overruling Providence.

tī lí;

the principle of organization which inheres in terrestrial nature.

ŭ thiⁿ lí cìaⁿ ŭ lī lí;

since there is an overruling power there is also an underlying principle in nature.

sui sĭ châk īa ū thien-lí lîang-sim;

although he is a rebel, he has a conscience.

tîeh thiⁿ-lí lîang-sim cē;

you must have some conscience in regard to it.

hâh lí;

reasonable.

i ŭ chêng-lí;

he has reason on his side.

bô̤ chêng-lí;

unreasonable; not according to common sense.

siu-lí kàu iap-thiap iap-thiap;

put it in complete order.

sṳ̆-lí;

to set in order; to regulate.

cíaⁿ-lí;

put in good repair.

lí sṳ̄;

attend to affairs, regulate matters.

lí ke sṳ̄;

attend to domestic concerns.

àiⁿ khṳ̀ lí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄;

is going to attend to an affair requiring adjustment.

lṳ́ kio úa lí hó̤;

you rectify it for me.

seng-ĺi;

trade.

ŭ seng-lí hó̤ mē?

Is trade brisk with you?

seng-lí hó̤ mē?

Is your business prosperous?

bô̤ mih seng-lí;

does not sell off much.

pōiⁿ-lí kàu cheng-chó̤;

have it all completly adjusted.

līo-lí;

to arrange with care.

thîo-lí;

to cure.

cē m̄ ôiⁿ cū lí m̄ kàu cía sṳ̄;

if I have not leisure, I cannot manage to attend to this.

cĭeⁿ mn̂g, khṳ̀ kio i lí-lŭn;

go to his door, and reason with him about it.

lí-hŭe;

to manage kindly.

mih sṳ̄ to tîeh káng-lí;

in every affair the rights of the case must be regarded.

i cò̤ sṳ̄ ío cĭu lí;

he is regardful of the right in what he does.

khîang sṳ̂, tô̤h cìaⁿ lí;

talk speciously and distort reasons.

bô̤ lí à kàu ŭ lí;

make the worse appear the better reason.

cía sĭ khîang sṳ̂ tô̤h lí kâi ūe;

this is wresting words in such a way as to pervert the truth.

tàⁿ ūe bô̤ chêng bô̤ lí;

talk unreasonably.

íⁿ lí lâi lŭn, i m̄-hó̤ cìeⁿ-seⁿ;

putting it on the ground of equity, he is in the wrong.

cía sĭ sĭm-mih tŏ̤-lí;

what sort of argument is this.

i m̄ lí i;

he will not take it in hand.

kẃn-lí;

to control; take charge of; govern.

sĭ tī-tîang tó̤ kẃn-lí?

Who has charge of it?

bûn-lí;

the literary style.

lí kng, m̄ lí àm;

regard what is evident, not what is behind the scenes.

i lí m̄ khṳ̀;

he cannot manage it.

i lí m̄ lâi;

he cannot adjust matters.

kak nâng lí kak nâng kâi sṳ̄;

let each attend to his own business.

màiⁿ li khah hn̆g, lṳ́ li lṳ́ ka-kī cū hó̤;

do not extend your management of affairs too far, if you keep yourself in order you will do well.

cìe lí lâi tàⁿ, tîeh cìeⁿ-seⁿ cìaⁿ tîeh;

speaking simply of how it ought to be, it must be thus in order to be right.

i cò̤ sṳ̄ to m̄ cìo lí;

he always acts contrary to reason.

lí lō m̄ sĭ cìeⁿ-seⁿ;

that is not the right way to do.

i sĭ pang-lí kâi;

he acts as assistant in the management of the affair.

cía tŏ̤-lí cū sĭeⁿ m̄ phùa;

I had not thought out this principle.

cìeⁿ-seⁿ tàⁿ īa ŭ lí;

there is reason in that also.

kak cip cêk lí;

each holds to his own view.

cêk lí tong, peh lí thiet;

one principle extends throughout all principles.

tŏ̤-lí cū sĭ cêk īe;

correct doctrine is always the same.

chêng-lí sĭ sie-kang kâi;

pure reason is common to all.

chêng-lí sĭ ŭ ciⁿ ŭ sì hùe chī kâi;

the better reason is with him who has wealth and power.

áu-lí;

perverse; pig-headed.

khîu kuaⁿ sin-lí;

beseech the magistrate to rectify a wrong.

lí khut;

in the wrong; proved to be on the wrong side the question.

i kâi lí tó̤;

he has not many arguments to sustain his views.

tàⁿ lâi chêng-lí tn̂g;

the reasons set forth are numerous.

lí tît, khì câug;

in a good cause, there is inherent strength.

lí hut, sṳ̄ khîong;

in a bad cause there is inherent weakness.

tōa-tōa tŏ̤-lí;

important principles.

ngĭ lí chim-àn;

right principles are profound and subtle.

im îang cêk lí;

for what is hidden and what is apparent, there is but one rule of action.

i kâi cṳ-lí chim, nâng-chêng mûeh-lí, hío khṳ̀ thàng;

he has a profound understanding of the principles of literature, and thoroughly comprehends both human nature and physics.

hío lí;

understand the eternal fitness of things.

cang lí lâi chui-chek;

think it out on the basis of principle.

cí kâi lí khîong m̄ chut;

this principle cannot be fully expounded.

chúi sŭn lí;

to reason from first principles.

sŭn lí;

follow the dictates of reason.

ngêk lí;

go contrary to the dictates of reason.

mêng lí;

clear up a point in ethics.

pŭe lí;

disregard the right.

tàⁿ lâi tîeh lí;

rightly argued.

káng-kìu tŏ̤-lí;

expound the doctrine.

• 履lí5204412
• That on which the foot rests; a leather shoe; to walk; to act; action, conduct.

lí-lêh;

a record of conduct.

thîaⁿ cĭeⁿ lí-lêh;

to send a record of one's proceedings up to court.

chìang lí-lêh;

one's own verbal statement of one's proceedings.

jû lí pó̤h piaⁿ;

as if treading on thin ice.

khóng lí ôi;

strong plain shoes for men's wear.

peh kûiⁿ suaⁿ jû lí pêⁿ tī;

climbs a mountain as if walking on level ground.

• 鯉lí5191957
• The carp, bream, sucker and similar fish.

lí hṳ̂;

the carp.

kim lí;

goldfish.

kîe kha lí;

suckers.

âng ko̤ lí;

trout.

mŏng lí-hṳ̂ teng;

an amusing performance with a lantern made to imitate a carp.

• 李lí520753
• A prune or gage; a plum of a red or yellow color; to get ready for a journey.

thô̤ lí năi;

peaches plums and apricots.

hàm nâng lâi tàⁿ hêng-lí;

call some one to carry the luggage.

hêng-lí soiⁿ siu-sîp hó̤;

first get your baggage ready.

• 裏lí5191457
• The lining, the inner face of a garment.

àiⁿ kah sĭm-mih lí?

What lining will you put in?

chiam lí chiam būe hó̤;

have not yet finished stitching in the lining.

hîuⁿ lí;

the lining of a wadded jacket.

úa kâi lí mīn àiⁿ cò̤ tâng sek;

I want the lining and the outside of the garment to match in color.

• 旅lí559706
• Forces; troops; a regiment of 500 men; a visitor, a guest, a sojourner, an immigrant.

kun-lí kâi sṳ̄;

military affairs.

hêng-lí úang lâi;

travellers going and coming; constant traffic.

kak kok kâi siang-lí lâi úang;

merchants from every country go and come.

i kâi kun sît-căi hó̤ cheng-cò̤ ngĕ-lí;

their troops may well be called sturdy braves.

lí-kẃn, chi-liang;

a stranger in a strange land.

• 離lî51717211
• To retire; to disperse; to dismiss; to go from; to part; parted; absent; to cut in two; to arrange or divide off; scattered ; the 5th of the 8 and the 30th of the 64 diagrams, referring to elegant things and to brightness.

lî-khui;

to withdraw from.

lî-pîet;

to separate from.

hàm i màiⁿ lî-kòiⁿ nâng kâi kut-nêk;

tell him not to sow dissension among relatives.

lîu-lî sit-só̤;

wander from home.

lî ŭ jîeh hn̆g?

How far off is it?

sái kàu nâng lî sim;

wean people from you.

bé put lî uaⁿ, nâng put lî kah;

the horses were never out of their saddles, nor the men out of their armor.

pek i sía lî-cṳ;

spur him up to writing a bill of separation.

lî ke;

leave home.

lî hieⁿ pîet céⁿ;

leave one's native place.

lî-khui cêk chieh;

withdraw to a distance of one foot.

lî hn̆g;

far separated.

cí kâi lî ío kṳ̆n;

this is not so far away.

úa lî chù cêk jît lō;

I am a day's journey from home.

sṳ̄-bŭ cōi, lî m̄ khui sin;

I am very busy and cannot get away.

no̤ⁿ-kíaⁿ sòi, lî m̄ khui;

the children are small and I cannot be away from them.

khek put lî kháu, khûn put lî chíu;

the ballads are never away from his mouth, and boxing never out of his hand; he is always practising singing and boxing.

siang lî ku-ā lí;

several miles apart.

lî kàu cêk pho lō kâi-pang-bó̤;

at a distance of about a league away.

lî bô̤ kò̤-kíaⁿ;

hardly any distance away.

kui nâng sie thòi teng-tùe, jît mêⁿ bò̤ lî;

several persons take turns in attending upon him, and leave him neither day nor night.

cí tîo lō, lî kò̤-kíaⁿ cū cèng cêk câng chīu;

at a little distance from this road a tree was planted.

put li sĭ tŏ̤ cí côiⁿ ău;

it can't be far off.

lî khṳ̀ cē;

get a little farther off.

m̄ kam lî-khui pĕ-bó̤;

unwilling to be separated from his parents.

cèng nâng lî-sùaⁿ khṳ̀;

they all dispersed.

thut-lî khó-lāng;

escape from trouble.

lî ŭ kúi nî kú;

remote from the time by several years.

cí kâi tī-hng put lî nâng;

there is always some one here.

pun-lî;

to distribute.

hun-lî;

divide into shares.

lî ûi húe;

the fifth of the eight diagrams belongs to fire.

• 璃lî5159611
• A vitreous, translucent substance which resembles strass.

po̤-lî;

glass.

po̤-lî khì;

glassware.

po̤-lî theng;

glass windows.

cêk tieⁿ po̤-lî;

a pane of glass.

po̤-lî cun;

a glass bottle.

po̤-lî cúaⁿ;

a glass goblet.

po̤-lî pue;

a glass tumbler.

cía po̤-lî seⁿ cúi phă;

this glass has bubbles in it.

cía po̤-lî cĕng căi;

this glass is very clear.

po̤-lî cúi-ciaⁿ ŏi thang;

glass and crystal are transparent.

pô̤-lî sĭ ngĕ-sèⁿ, tìaⁿ cŭang tîeh cū phùa;

glass is brittle, and if you hit it whether lightly or heavily, it breaks.

àng po̤-lî hìeⁿ thang;

transparent as glass.

ngŏ sek po̤-lî;

iridescent glass.

lîu-lî;

strass.

lîu-lî teng;

a strass lamp.

pûn liu-lî;

to blow strass.

ngâu po̤-lî;

make glass.

• 𨤸lî51616611
• The third term in fractions; a hundredth; the thousandth part of a tael, nominally equal to a copper mill, or the native coin called by foreigners a cash; a very little; a grain; a hair's breadth; an extra tax of one tenth per cent on a quantity of goods or on the property in a place, according to an assessment.

thiu lî kim;

to levy the tax of one tenth per cent.

lî kêk;

assessors, who collect this tax.

bó̤ cêk lî hó̤ ēng;

not a particle of it is serviceable.

bô̤ pùaⁿ lî ŭ ēng;

not of the least use.

hâu-lî to bŏi cha-chò̤;

there is not the slightest error in it.

sǹg kàu lî hâu si hut;

reckon to the last farthing.

chûn bô̤ cêk lî-kíaⁿ;

have but the least bit left.

i cìeⁿ sî cîah bô̤ io lî;

she eats almost nothing lately.

cûah lî-lî, cū châh tîeh mâk;

came within a hair's breadth of piercing his eye.

hīn-khek kâi châng tó̤ hak, ŭ kúi lî cí?

In buying farm land now, what percentage of its value is the income from it reckoned at?

• 籬lî51711819
• A fence or wattle of bamboo; a light inclosure.

cí gūa-kháu ûi tek lî;

surround the outside with a bamboo fence.

chài lî;

a low fence around a vegetable patch.

cìa lî;

a straw or splint wattle around a cane field.

hn̂g lî;

the garden fence.

phah bé-káng-lî;

make lattice work.

cí khí nâng sĭ nâng-lî;

this is an outcast.

• 閭lî5581697
• A habitation.

mō̤ⁿ i ŏi kói-ūaⁿ mn̂g-lî;

hope he may improve the fortunes of the family.

• 黎lî5152023
• Early.

lî-mêng;

early dawn.

lî-mêng cṳ cáu-khí;

got up at the first streak of dawn.

• 肋lî5091302
• The side of the body.

phiaⁿ-lî kut;

the ribs.

phah tîeh phiaⁿ-lî;

struck him in the side.

khang kàu phiaⁿ-lî tèng ŏi thìaⁿ;

made my side ache.

• 利lĭ521185
• Advantageous; useful; gains; profit; shrewdness; greedy for gain; slippery; to benefit; to oblige.

tit lĭ;

to gain.

lĭ-chĭ căi;

very profitable.

tăi kit lĭ-chĭ;

a very lucky stroke of fortune.

i cêk nî siu ŭ jîeh cōi lĭ-sek?

What income does he get from it annually?

mîaⁿ lĭ líang tit;

fame and wealth both attained.

kin nî kâi seng-lí sŭn-lĭ căi;

business is very prosperous this year.

lĭ-cîⁿ ke kùe bó̤-cîⁿ;

the profit is greater than the capital.

lĭ-hāi;

malicious; harmful.

lĭ lō heng thong;

everything is prosperous.

ŭ sĭm-mih lĭ-iah nē?

What advantage is there in it?

bô̤ lĭ bô̤ iah;

of no benefit whatever.

cúi lĭ;

marine revenue.

îam lĭ;

revenue from salt.

cìeⁿ-sî ŭ lĭ a bô̤?

Have you made anything lately in your business?

cía mng tōa lĭ căi;

this is anything but profitable.

m̄ lĭ; put lĭ;

unprofitable; unprosperous.

ŭ lĭ hó̤ chu mē?

Is there any profit to be made?

• 厲lĭ5222713
• Harsh, stern, severe.

ngîam-lĭ;

awfully stern.

lĭ siaⁿ;

a harsh voice.

lĭ siaⁿ, tăi toah;

shouted out very loudly to him in a threatening voice.

lĭ kúi hāi nâng;

a discontented ghost injures people.

sṳ̂ sek ngîam-lĭ;

words harsh, and aspect austere.

• 勵lĭ5231915
• To animate, to incite.

míen-lĭ i khṳ̀ cò̤;

impel him to go and do it.

kó-lĭ kun-sṳ̆;

rouse the troops.

• 麗lĭ5241988
• Elegant, beautiful, ornamented, flowery.

siu-sîp kàu īam-īam lĭ-lĭ;

arranged very elegantly.

sek-cúi īam-lĭ căi;

its color is very fine.

i seⁿ lâi sìu-lĭ căi;

she is very finely proportioned.

thóiⁿ tîeh li sìu-sìu lĭ-lĭ, cò̤ sṳ̄ sĭm sĭ cho-máng;

looks elegant and refined but acts in a very boorish way.

• 痢lĭ5211047
• Dysentery; diarrhea.

lĭ-cit;

dysentery.

sĭ pêh lĭ a sĭ chiah lĭ?

Are the discharges white or red in color?

hueh lĭ; âng lĭ;

bloody flux.

kìm kháu lĭ;

diarrhea with loss of appetite.

tn̂g-tn̂g lĭ-cît;

chronic dysentery.

• 例lī52196
• To classify; to adjust; to arrange; to compare; to make a precedent of; laws which are less stringent than statutes; rules, regulations, by-laws, directions; custom, usage; the order or disposition of things.

taⁿ cìaⁿ sin khí lī kâi;

that which comes under the new regulation.

cía bô̤ lī kâi;

there is no fixed rule about this.

i hío lut-lī;

he understands the law.

cìe lī phōiⁿ sṳ̄;

adjudicate the affair in accordance with the usages.

kú cū cîaⁿ lī;

in the course of time it becomes a usage nearly equivalent to a law.

ē tńg cū sêng cò̤ lī;

another time it will be used as a precedent.

ŭ tīaⁿ lī kâi;

there is a settled usage in regard to it.

hâh lī;

in accordance with established usage.

lī kìm ngîam căi;

the prohibitory rule is very strict.

chê cek-lī;

examine the rules.

m̄ hó̤ cang cí kâi ûi lī;

do not make this a precedent.

kak chù kak chù kâi lī;

each place has its peculiar customs.

nín kâi hieⁿ lī cò̤-nî?

What is the usage in your village?

ún kâi kui-lī hó̤;

our practise is an excellent one.

bô̤ lī mó̤ khí, ŭ lī mó̤ cí;

if there is no rule it is not well to make one, if there is a rule it is not well to abolish it.

• 涖lī522857
• To enter upon, as office.

tâng cí kâi kuaⁿ lī jīm ău tī-hng ío phêng;

since this magistrate entered upon his office, the country has been more quiet.

• 徹lī42602
• From first to last; thoroughly, completely.

tó̤ kàu lī-lī;

fallen flat.

cúi khó̤ káu lī-lī;

the water has all ebbed out.

ke khṳt i phùa kàu lī-lī;

the family has been completely ruined by him.

sie khṳ̀ hŵn-lío bŏi lī;

it is not yet all burned up.

• 吏lī522303
• An officer; magistrates; a deputy, or a secretary in an office; to rule.

lī pŏ, lī pâng, lī khue;

the Board of Civil Office in Peking, and its departments in each province and district, where it superintends the appointment, salaries and movements of officials.

i múaⁿ lī a būe?

Has he completed his term of office?

tíen lī;

head-writers.

tham kuaⁿ, u lī;

corrupt officials.

lī pâng a-ṕun;

clerk in the department of Civil Office.

lī pâng cóng-su;

the head clerk in the provincial branch of the Board of Civil Office.

lī khue kip-sṳ-tong;

a secretary in the district branch of the Board of Civil Office.

lī-pŏ sīeⁿ cṳ, lī-pŏ có̤ sĭ n̂ng, lī-pŏ ĭu sĭ-n̂ng;

the President and the Vice Presidents of the Board of Civil Office.

lī-pŏ ŵn gūa n̂ng;

a deputy official in the Board of Civil Office.

lī-pŏ cú-sṳ̄;

directors in the Board of Civil Office.