Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/soih

by Adele Marion Fielde

soih

• 㼭soih896988
• To steady a thing by putting wedges or props underneath it; to fill an aperture by stuffing something in.

chn̂g m̄ ún, tîeh soih;

the table does not stand firmly, it must be made stable by putting something under its leg.

cò̤-nî soih lío hŵn-lío ĭe-ló;

however much I wedge things underneath it, it still joggles.

cía khah tōa, soih m̄ lô̤h;

this is too large and I cannot wedge it under the part requiring support.

hía khah pô̤h īu soih bô̤ bi;

that is too thin and wedging it under will be ineffectual.

i hàuⁿ soih a má phāng;

he likes to talk through a crevice with old women.

cí kâi soih lô̤h khṳ̀ cū kah;

this just fits the place that needs to be filled by a prop.

ah n̆ng soih îu chia;

take a duck's egg to prop an oil mill.

cí kâi soih jîp khṳ̀ ngam-sāi ngam-sāi;

this is just the right size to fill the crevice.

i hṳ́ kâi khueh-hūn sĭ soih tit lô̤h a soih m̄ lô̤h?

Can he be used to fill that vacancy?

i cē ŭ kâi hûn-phāng cū khṳ̀ soih;

if there be the least opening for him, he slips in.

kha-tháng lāu, tîeh khîeh mûeh lâi soih;

the wash-tub leaks, it must have the crack stopped with something.

i kâi hun-tâng sĭ soih tŏ̤ khò-thâu;

his pipe is stuck into the top of his trowsers.

hṳ́ kò̤ hó̤ soih ke cêk nâng lô̤h khṳ̀ a m̄-ho̤?

Can another person be wedged in there or not?

cía put kùe sĭ soih phûe phāng kâi;

this is nothing more than filling up a narrow space between two other graves.

úa thóiⁿ hṳ́ kâi tī-hng li soih m̄ jîp;

I do not think you can wedge in any more there.

• 細soih7901205

ńng-soih;

fine, small, and delicate; fragile and dainty.

ńng-soih kâi mûeh-kĭaⁿ;

bric-a-brac; bijouterie; articles that are small and exquisite.

hìeⁿ cōi sieⁿ láng kâi mûeh-kĭaⁿ lóng-cóng sĭ ńng-ńng soih-soih kâi;

all these boxes are of very delicate aud costly things.

cìeⁿ cōi cho-ki tōa-hîeh kâi mûeh-kĭaⁿ tǹg bô̤ cêk kiaⁿ ńng-soih kâi cîⁿ;

all these coarse and large articles are of less value in money than a single object of art.

cía sĭ ńng-soih kâi, m̄ pí hía cho-tōa lâ-phà kâi;

this is of exquisite workmanship, and is not to be put in comparison with those coarse and clumsy ones.

• 襭soih19414515
• To tuck in, as the skirt in the girdle.

saⁿ-kṳ khang-khí-lâi soih tŏ̤ tòa kò̤;

take up the bottom of the petticoat and tuck it in the girdle.

tîeh soih kín, màiⁿ ka-lâuh;

must tuck it in tight so that it won't come out.

àiⁿ ĕ kùe khoi, kûn tîeh kío-khí-lâi soih-pàng tòa kò̤, cìaⁿ bŏi ūn tîeh cúi;

if you are going to wade across the stream, you must lift your petticoat and tuck it in your belt, then it will not draggle in the water.

• 礫soih53811215
• Small stones, gravel, shingle.

hĭa soih;

broken tiles.

thūn cò̤ hìaⁿ kâi cng-kău hĭa-soih;

fill it in with broken bricks and tiles.