Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/sin

by Adele Marion Fielde

sin

• 身sin7351580
• The body, the trunk, the main part of a thing; the hull; one's self; personal; the presence; one's character or duty.

pńg sin;

my body; I myself.

i pńg-sin sĭ gūa-chù nâng;

he himself is an alien.

chiah sin lò thói;

stark naked.

sin-thói; sin châi;

the (human) body.

cīeⁿ sin tn̂g, ĕ sin tó̤;

the upper half of his body is longer than the lower half.

chut sin;

to enter on office; the origin or early life of a person.

i sĭ chông thâk-cṳ chut sin;

he came from literary occupations into office.

cong sin kâi kak-kêk sĭ cò̤-nî?

What is the outcome of his life?

lâu sin;

I, an old woman.

i ka-kī chut sin lí sṳ̄;

he himself takes the lead in the management of affairs.

sin kûi;

is tall.

sin-hàng tōa;

is above the average size.

i kùe sin khṳ̀ lío;

he is dead.

i sĭ ŭ sin ke kâi nâng;

he is a man of some property.

put lêng hun sin;

I have no time to leave this and attend to that; can't be in two places at once.

phah m̄ khui sin;

cannot get away; cannot attend to more than I now have on hand.

khí sin; tŏng sin;

to start on a journey.

kiaⁿ kàu ciu sin kâi nêk tó̤ tùn;

so frightened that my flesh quaked all over me.

i chin sin khṳ̀;

he went himself.

bōi sin;

sell one's self.

sin âu kâi sṳ̄ tho̤h i lí;

committed to him the arrangement of her obsequies.

màiⁿ khah hó̤ sin hūn;

do not love ease too dearly.

cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ tŏ̤ úa sin cīeⁿ;

this devolves upon me.

hwn sin;

to turn over when lying down.

hui-tńg sin; ût-tńg sin;

to turn around when standing.

i-hôk m̄ kah sin;

his clothes do not fit him.

i kâi sin tèng chēng sĭm-mih hôk-sek?

What garments did she wear?

tîⁿ kín sin;

entangled so that she cannot get away.

sin tói saⁿ;

underclothing; garments worn next the person.

i ciu sin tîeh khṳ̀ sìeⁿ thih-pô̤h;

he should go and have his whole body plated with iron.

sin tèng chēng thih-kah;

he wears armor.

cêk sin cĕng-cĕng kut;

he is nothing but skin and bone.

khṳt hŏ phuah kàu thong sin lok-lok;

drenched with rain till there is not a dry thread on my body.

màiⁿ gō i kâi cong sin;

do not make his whole life miserable.

cn̂g sin khṳt thâng cù tīo;

the whole of it is riddled by insects.

hăm sin o;

is black all over.

mak kàu sin tâm sin tih;

daubed so as to drip with it.

chīu sin;

the trunk of a tree.

cíu-pâng sin;

the body of the wine pitcher.

peh cĭeⁿ bé sin téng;

mount a horse.

i kâi sin-ui tōa;

it is large in girth.

bói kúi sin thô ang-kíaⁿ;

buy a few clay dolls.

jṳ̂ sin;

take a sponge bath.

sûi kín sin piⁿ;

keep close to him.

cŏ̤ tŏ̤ úa sin piⁿ;

sit close beside me.

tùe kín sin;

to stick close to one; to adhere tightly to a person.

bô̤ kò̤ hó̤ uaⁿ sin;

have no place where I can be comfortable.

i hīn-khek tŏ̤ tī kò̤ châng sin?

Where does he now conceal himself?

i in-ŭi hṳ́ kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ tì-kàu sin sí;

it was in that way that he came to lose his life.

i sĭang ŏi kù sin-hūn;

he takes the greatest care of his health.

i bô̤ mûeh hó̤ cia sin;

he has no means of screening himself.

i sin kṳ tău-thâi cò̤ ŭ jw̆n cò̤?

Being a prefect, how can he act without regard to rules?

sái kàu i bô̤ îong sin cṳ tī;

left him no means of getting a living.

cûn-sin;

the hull of the boat.

cng kim sin kâi sîn;

gilded idols.

cúaⁿ-íaⁿ-sin tàu tāⁿ thâu;

the puppet has had the wrong head put on it.

tōa chù-sin-téng bŏi lāu;

the main roof does not leak.

ūe pùaⁿ sin tīaⁿ-tīaⁿ;

paint a half length portrait only.

uē cn̂g sin;

draw a full length portrait.

phah kàu thong sin tâk-cek o-cheⁿ;

beat him till he is bruised black and blue from head to foot.

seⁿ kàu cêk sin kòi;

his whole body is covered with sores.

i sin piⁿ ŭ kúi kâi lâm ńng kíaⁿ?

How many son and daughters has she with her?

ŭ sin-hūn;

is pregnant.

• 新sin806699
• New; just made; the latest.

sin-bŭn-cúa;

a newspaper.

sin nî;

the new year.

sin lîp kâi huap;

a newly established regulation.

sin n̂ng;

a bridgroom.

sin nîe;

a bride.

sin īeⁿ;

a new style.

sin saⁿ;

a new tunic.

pùaⁿ sin kū;

half-worn; neither new nor old.

sin chiⁿ;

fresh; newly killed or caught for food.

sin chun;

spring tide.

sin bī;

the first of the reason; the early crop.

cía sĭ bói lâi sîeⁿ sin cē;

this was bought as a foretaste of the early fruits.

sin chut mûeh-kĭaⁿ kùi căi;

things that are the first of their kind are always dear.

sin khŵn;

a new fashion.

lêng-ūaⁿ îu sin;

newly repainted.

i sĭ sin lâi kâi;

he has recently arrived.

sin khí kâi chù;

a house lately built.

sin khui kâi tī;

newly opened ground.

sin lâh-jît;

new almanacs.

sin bí pn̄g;

cooked rice of the late crop.

sin cúi kîam hṳ̂;

newly opened stock of salt fish.

sin bêh kâi mīⁿ;

flour made from now wheat.

sin suaⁿ kâi siam;

ginseng that is not fully grown.

sin khai-ciang;

newly opened stock of goods; a fresh display.

• 申sin7361021
• To state to a superior; the ninth of the twelve stems.

sin-sî;

from 3 to 5 o'clock P.M.

sin bûn khṳ̀ cīeⁿ-si;

send a report to his superior in office.

sin mêng khṳt úa cai;

state it clearly to me.

• 紳sin7361205
• A large sash or girdle with ornamental ends; those who are privileged to wear sashes, the literati, graduates, officials, and gentry.

hieⁿ sin;

country gentlemen.

jŭ kak hieⁿ kâi sin khî;

order the gentry and officials in every village.

sin khim hùe;

the gentry.

sin sṳ̆;

head men; elders.

• 乩sin33555
• To seek aid from spirits.

tâng-sin cĭeⁿ to̤-thui, kîaⁿ hûe lō, lô̤h iû thng;

the spirit-medium ascends a ladder of knives, walks over a bed of coals, and plunges into hot oil.

kng kâi tâng-sin tô̤ kīe tèng khṳ̀ chú tê chú cúi;

carry a spirit-medium in a sedan-chair, to get tea and water for offerings.

• 伸sin76395
• To redress; to vindicate; to clear up a cause; to straighten; worth; value at; equal to.

kio i sin wn;

redress his wrongs.

ŭ wn bô̤ sin;

have unredressed grievances.

chíu siu chut lâi;

straighten out your arm.

nŏ̤ pôiⁿ sin-chíu jîeh khuah?

How large are the two wings of the building?

sin cò̤ ngṳ̂n;

valued in money.

chûn câp níe ngṳ̂n sin cò̤ jîeh cōi cíⁿ?

What is the value in cash of the ten taels that remain?

• 先sîn799104

sin-seⁿ;

a teacher.

thong cheng cò̤ sin-seⁿ;

are generally addressed as Teachers.

• 辛sin8061600
• The eighth of the ten stems, which corresponds to metal and the west; sad.

sin khó;

grievous.

cò̤ kang-ku nâng sĭm sĭ sin khó;

working people have a hard time.

chut gūa nâng sin-sin khó-khó;

travellers fare hardly.

• 愼sín7386110
• To act carefully and seriously.

kṳ́n-sín;

heedfully.

tàⁿ ūe kṳ́n-sín;

speak with precision.

cò̤ sṳ̄ kṳ́n-sín;

act cautiously.

m̄ kṳ́n-sín;

incautious.

kun-cṳ́ sín tok;

the princely man is careful when he is alone.

• 訊sìn8081493
• To inquire into judicially; to investigate; to examine, as witnesses.

cô̤ tn̂g sìn i liáng-cău kâi ùaⁿ-kĭaⁿ;

sit in court and try the case of the two litigants.

i cí-hûe khṳ̀ sìn kuaⁿ-si;

he has now gone to testify in a lawsuit.

kàu cí tńg íⁿ-keng sìn saⁿ tńg lío;

this makes three times that the witnesses have been examined.

mùaⁿ-khí-cá àiⁿ tn̂g sìn;

the judicial investigation will be begun to-morrow morning.

sìn lío būe ŭ tẁn-kak;

has tried the case but has not get given a verdict.

cêk ē ngîam sìn, i kâi cin chêng cū chut lâi;

when once closely examined into the real circumstances will be make evident.

• 蜃sìn7391427
• A mirage.

hái tèng kâi sìn-khì;

mirages at sea.

kio sìn-lâu hái-chĭ cêk īeⁿ;

like a mirage seen at sea; exaggerated reports; wild stories.

• 囟sìn808313
• The sinciput; the calvaria.

a-noⁿ-kíaⁿ hîah-sìn pôk-pôk-tōaⁿ;

the sinciput of the babe throbs.

lâu kâi sìn-thô̤;

leave a tuft of hair growing over the sinciput.

tì téng sìn-thô̤;

wore an infant's tufted cap.

sìn mn̂g;

the fontanel in a babe.

• 汛sìn808853
• A guard house, or post-house; stations placed about a league apart on the high roads.

i hīn-khek khĭa tŏ̤ tī kâi sìn?

At what post on the road is he now stationed?

sìn tī kuaⁿ;

master of a guard station.

suaⁿ-thâu sìn hīn-căi sĭ tī-tîang tó̤ cò̤?

Who now commands the guard station at Swatow?

• 迅sìn8081623
• Quick; swift; hasty.

sìn-sok cū àiⁿ;

want it at once.

sìn pō jīo khṳ̀;

pursue with swift steps.

sìn lûi put kîp íam jṳ́;

as a clap of thunder which gives one no time to stop the ears; a word and a blow.

• 信sìn80797
• Sincerity, truthfulness; integrity; faith; a man of his word; to believe in; to confide in; to accord with; to follow; a seal, a stamp, which gives ground for trust; a letter or note; a messenger; off-hand; impromptu.

i siang-sìn căi;

he has great confidence in it.

i sìn-sît căi;

he is very trustworthy.

sìn-tâng; sìn huang;

the envelope of a letter.

sía sìn;

write a letter.

sìn cúa;

letter-paper.

úa cīeⁿ-jît kìa ŭ sìn khṳt i;

I sent him a letter the other day.

cih tîeh sìn;

receive a letter.

thiah sìn;

open a letter.

thiah-khui huang-tan̂g khîeh sìn lâi thóiⁿ;

open the envelope and take out the letter and look at it.

hṳ́ sìn tói có̤-nît tàⁿ?

What is in the letter?

huang sìn;

close and seal a letter.

cáu-bé-sìn;

postman, mail carrier, or courier.

sìn-kêk;

postal agency.

sìn-kẃn;

a post-office.

sìn-cîⁿ; cíu-cîⁿ;

postage.

húe-cûn sìn;

letters going or coming by steamer.

gūa kok kìa lâi kâi phoi sìn;

letters and dispatches from foreign countries.

hâng chêng sìn;

commercial circulars.

chíaⁿ cêk nâng tó̤ phōiⁿ-lí sìn-kĭaⁿ;

ask some person to take charge of the correspondence.

sín mīn sĭm-mih seⁿ-mîaⁿ, sĭm-mih cū-cí?

What is the name and address on the letter?

tho̤h pàng sìn-kêk kò̤ kìa khṳ̀;

send it through the post-office.

i cò̤ sṳ̄ bô̤ sìn bô̤ sît;

he acts faithlessly.

cin siang-sìn;

really believe in.

i chim sìn i;

she has great faith in him.

úa m̄ sìn;

I do not believe it.

i sit sìn;

he has lost his confidence in it.

sìn-kháu;

impromptu.

i kâi ūe sìn-kháu tàⁿ chut lâi cū sêng bûn-lí;

what he says off hand is in such good style as to be classic.

i kâi jī li sìn-pit sía chut lâi cū ngía-ngía;

what he writes offhand is beautifully written.

i ŭ im-sín lâi a bô̤?

Has she had any news?

bô̤ sìn bô̤ sek;

no news of any sort from him.

phêng-ang sìn;

a pleasant letter.

ke sìn;

home letters.

cí kâi sìn-ńng sen̂g-sim căi;

this devotee is very sincere.

sìn-cîeh sui sĭ cîah sí nâng īa sĭ tī pēⁿ kâi ìo îeh;

arsenic, although it is a deadly poison, is also an important remedy in the treatment of disease.

chin-chĭeⁿ hó̤ sìn;

appeal's credible.

• 繩sîu77212013
• A cord, string or line, especially a builder's line; a line stretched taut; to mark by a line; to enforce conformity to a rule; to adjust.

cún-sîn;

a standard; a line to go by; up to the mark.

i mih sṳ̄ to ŭ kâi cún-sîn;

in whatever he does, he sets bounds for himself.

cún-sîn tīaⁿ căi;

the lines are very exact.

màiⁿ bô̤ cún bô̤ sîn;

do not be without a fixed standard.

• 晨sîn21727
• The sun beaming forth; dawn.

cá sîn kâi sî-hāu cū lâi;

come in the early morning.

cheng sîn kâi sî-hāu;

at early dawn.

• 神sîn7371135
• That power or cause which operates by its own energies; diffused, formless, and inscrutable, yet making things develop; the powers above as opposed to the powers below; the gods, the divinities; a god in the usage of pagans; used by many for the true God; a spirit; a supernatural good being; the human spirit, the directing power of the body; the animal spirits; divine, spiritual, as being higher than man; supernatural, god-like, wonderful, superhuman; mysteriously; very, exceedingly.

sîn-mêng;

the gods.

sîn kúi;

good and evil spirits.

sîn-sien;

spirits and elves.

sîn hut; native and foreign gods;

native sages and Buddha.

cìaⁿ sîn sîa sîn;

beneficent and harmful deities.

pài sîn;

worship the gods.

sṳ̆ sîn;

serve the gods.

hŏng sîn;

make offerings to the gods.

khîu sîn;

besought the gods.

m̄ng sîn;

ask a sign from the gods.

cì sîn;

sacrifice to the gods.

îaⁿ sîn;

carry the gods out for an airing.

cih sîn;

welcome the gods on their return.

ngêng sîn;

look reverentially up to the gods.

sàng sîn;

accompany the gods in a procession.

sîm phâu;

a cloak for the god.

sîn kham;

a wooden shrine for gods or ancestral tablets.

khîeh khṳ̀ sîn mīn côiⁿ kò̤ hìen;

lay it before the gods as an offering.

sîn chíang;

a portico for the gods.

sîn sìeⁿ; images;

idols.

pài tāⁿ sîn;

worship the wrong god.

ke sîn; sîn cú;

lares, or deified spirits of ancestors.

sāi sîn;

set up a god.

sîn cìang;

attend ants on the gods.

sîn-hûn;

the soul, before or after death.

sîn hāu; sîn-ngīam;

wonderfully efficacious.

íang sîn;

refresh one's spirits.

sim cē tŏng sîn cū cai;

the gods know every emotion of the heart.

cía kâi nâng hó̤ ēng sîn;

this person has his wits about him.

thóiⁿ khṳ̀ jîp sîn;

have taken it into my mind.

mâk sîn; ngán sîn;

the expression of the eyes.

ŭ ceng-sîn;

spirited.

bô̤ ceng-sîn;

spiritless.

seⁿ lâi ceng-sîn;

naturally lively.

sîn-khì cok căi;

is very vigorous.

bô̤ mih sîn-khì;

has little vitality.

lîu sîn, sòi thóiⁿ;

keep a careful look out for it.

teh kî kaî sṳ̄ sĭ lâu sîn căi;

chess is a thing that taxes the mind.

m̄-hó̤ khah lâu tîeh sîn;

do not tax your strength too heavily.

kṳ́ thâu saⁿ chieh ŭ sîn-khî;

only three feet above you is a god.

hiong sîn ak suah;

an evil spirit has got hold of you.

lô̤h sîn;

a witch; one who is taken possession of by a spirit.

sîn phah tâng-ki;

the spirit has taken possession of the medium.

cí kâi lău-îa chut sîn;

this god has gone to occupy a human body.

sîn sok căi;

wonderfully quick.

cí ūi sîn sĭang híen;

this god is very apt to manifest himself.

bô̤ sîn bô̤ khì;

has no vitality.

kĭang-khí ceng-sîn lâi lí;

rally your energies and attend to it.

khui lō sîn; thiⁿ sîn;

a sort of effigy that is carried before funerals as a pursuivant of the dead.

cēⁿ-ūn ngŵn-sîn;

compose your spirit; calm yourself.

kèng sîn;

revere the gods.

sîn bīe;

a temple with images of the gods.

sîn-hok;

offerings for the gods.

sîn hué;

a fire ball; a bright Jack-o-lantern.

sîn ūi;

a shrine.

sîn hŭi;

what has been offered to idols.

sîn-thiⁿ pó̤-ĭu;

heaven protect us.

tī sîn; thó sîn;

local divinities; gods of the land.

hok sîn;

the blessed gods.

châi sîn;

god of wealth.

húe sîn;

god of fire.

lûi sîn;

the god of thunder.

cúi sîn;

god of water.

sîn-ŭang; ceng-sîn ŭang;

in vigorous health.

sîn phî;

languid; out of spirits; no power of concentration.

bú-bw̆n tîeh sîn-mêng;

neglect the gods.

mn̂g-sîn;

the god of the door.

càu sîn;

the kitchen god.

céⁿ sîn;

god of the well.

chíu sîn;

the god that dwells in a tree.

suaⁿ sîn;

god of the mountain.

sîn-khak;

a medicine used for indigestion and colds.

hô̤k-sîn;

a tonic alterative.

chîu sîn cò̤ hì;

recompense the gods by inviting them to a theatrical performance.

sîn teng;

a lamp burned before the gods.

tīaⁿ sîn sòi thóiⁿ;

fix the attention and look carefully.

i kâi ceng-sîn cù-cù tó̤ thóiⁿ cṳ;

his mind is fixed upon his book.

i kâi būe tīaⁿ sîn tŏ̤-kò̤;

he is not altogether sane.

sîn tó̤;

no power of concentration.

i kâi ceng-sîn tó̤;

he is not able to fix his mind steadily upon one subject.

cng sîn;

adorn a god.

ang sîn;

set a god in its niche.

• 辰sîn201610
• Times, hours, seasons; a Chinese hour or one twelfth of a day, but especially the time from 7 to 9 o'clock A. M.; heavenly bodies which mark the times; the fifth of the twelve stems, over which the dragon rules; spots in the sky where no stars are seen.

cêk kâi sî-sîn ŭ jîeh kú?

How long is an hour?

jît gûeh cheⁿ sîn;

the heavenly bodies and interstellar spaces.

kíaⁿ jît sĭ hó̤ jît sîn;

today is a lucky time.

• 盛sîn7721087
• To receive, as into a vessel.

khîeh kâi úaⁿ lâiⁿ sîn koi hueh;

take a bowl and catch the fowl's blood in it.

sîn kàu cêk kng hŏ-cúi tĭⁿ-tĭⁿ;

caught a jar full of rain-water.

khîeh kâi mûeh lâi sîn cìaⁿ bŏi sua-îa cêk koiⁿ;

yet something to catch it in, then it will not spill over everything.

• 剩sīn772189
• A residue; leavings; surplus; to retain, to keep back a part.

sīn ŭ a bô̤?

Is there any left?

sīn ŭ hăng;

there is scarcely any remaining.

hŵn-lío sīn tōa-bó̤-mûeh;

there is still a great quantity on hand.

i sĭ ngà kàu ŭ sīn;

he is much more stupid than is necessary.

sīn cêk pùaⁿ;

one half remains.

cîah sīn kâi;

what is left after the meal.

sīn-pàng ĕ tǹg;

keep it for the next meal.

cí hó̤ sīn, m̄-hó̤ khih;

it is best to have an overplus of this, rather than a deficiency.