Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/thu

by Adele Marion Fielde

thu

• 逗遛thû-thek875
• To loiter, to dawdle, to delay.

tŏ̤ lō tèng thû-thek jîeh kú, hŵn-lío kîaⁿ būe kàu;

has loitered ever so long on the way, and has not yet arrived.

cí căm thû-thek kúi jît, hṳ́ căm thû-thek kúi jît;

delayed here a few days and there a few days at different stages of the journey.

• 徒thû919607
• A footman; a bondman; a serf; a follower; a disciple; servants about an office; low fellows; a ruffian; futile, vainly; only; barely; the punishment of transportation.

mn̂g-thû;

disciples.

thû-tĭ;

an apprentice, follower, or pupil.

(illegible text)ĭ hó̤ⁿ li (illegible text)ái kâi lĕng kau-thû lâi hûe-hôk úa;

whether it be so or not, send one of your pupils to bring me a response.

hṳ́ khí nâng sĭ bô̤ năi cṳ thû, màiⁿ thiaⁿ i;

those people are low fellows, pay no heed to them.

màiⁿ tó̤ thû lâu bô̤ iah;

do not waste your labor, getting no advantage therefrom.

thû ke bô̤ ēng;

more will be useless.

thû àiⁿ cò̤ hó̤, cò̤ m̄ tîeh huap īa bô̤ ēng;

it is vain to wish to do well if you do not act according to rule.

thû-hùi kang-lâk;

waste your labor.

úa thóiⁿ sĭ thû-jîen kâi;

I consider it all to no purpose.

pŵn-thû;

a rascal.

kuaⁿ phōiⁿ i cò̤ thû cŭe;

the magistrate found his crime to be one that is punished by banishment.

i thû saⁿ nî lío cū tńg lâi;

after three years banishment he returned.

cŭe sĭ ēng-kai lîu, khṳt i sai ēng cò̤ thû;

his crime was one for which he should have been sentenced to perpetual banishment, but by bribery he got it commuted to temporary banishment.

• 儲thû93916
• To lay up for need; to be second to.

i kâi bí-chek thû-cek kàu cōi căi;

he has a great quantity of grain stored up.

thài-cṳ́ cheng-hu cò̤ thû kun;

the crown prince is called the heir-apparent.

• 圖thû9283111
• A plan, drawing, diagram or chart; to delineate, to sketch an outline; to scheme, to plot, to intrigue; to reckon on; to remove; to estimate, to calculate; to wish or try for; forethought, care.

tham-thû;

to earnestly wish for; greedy.

cêk nâng sĭ tham-thû khùaⁿ-ûah, cêk nâng sĭ tham-thû thàng cîⁿ;

the one coveted ease and the other coveted gain.

ŭ nâng sĭ thû mîaⁿ, ŭ nâng sĭ thû lĭ, m̄ tâng;

some strive for fame, and some for profit, all are not alike.

i tó̤ thû sĭm-mûeh?

What is she trying to gain?

kàu cē cṳ̀-bwn̆n cū lâng thû;

when it has widely ramified it will be difficult to extirpate.

cí kâi kíaⁿ-tĭ lṳ́ thóiⁿ ŭ thû a bô̤?

Do you think that this boy is one to be reckoned upon as likely to improve the fortunes of the family?

hṳ́ kâi sui-sĭ bô̤ thû, cí kâi tōa-tōa ŭ thû;

although that one may not be counted upon as having an important future, yet this one may be.

i taⁿ toaⁿ-toaⁿ thû cí kâi kíaⁿ ĕ-jît pa-lak ŏi hó̤ tīaⁿ, pât kâi kíaⁿ li míen thû;

she now reckons only upon this son as being likely to benefit her inthe future, and does not calculate upon the other sons at all.

thû thóiⁿ ŏi tit mē;

try for it and see if you can gain it.

kâi kíaⁿ hó̤ thû cò̤ kuaⁿ, kâi kíaⁿ bó̤ thû hwt châi;

may reckon upon one's son's being an official, and upon the other one's becoming rich.

úa àiⁿ kuah kâi thû-su ìn;

I wish to have a seal for my personal use carved.

thû ciang;

a motto on a seal.

taⁿ cū tùi-tùi thû tîeh;

have now got just what I desired.

• 塗thû9183210
• To daub, to besmear; dull, pig-headed.

hū-thû;

inapt, unready, blundering.

hṳ́ khí nâng sĭ hû-hû thû-thû kâi nâng;

those people are perfect dunderheads.

thû ciⁿ buah hún;

use cosmetics.

• 荼thú9191407
• A bitter herb, containing a whitish juice.

nín cèng ŭ thû-mîⁿ-hue a bô̤?

Have you yellow roses in your garden?

sîn-thû, ut-lúi;

the names of two brothers now deified and worshipped as the warders of doorways.