Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/to̤h

by Adele Marion Fielde

to̤h

• 啄to̤h82308
• To peck, as fowls do.

koi-kíaⁿ to̤h bí chùi;

chickens peck at broken rice.

kho nŏ̤ cîah koi lâi to̤h pn̄g-lîap;

call two fowls to eat the cold rice that is left after the meal.

cío tó̤ to̤h sĭm-mûeh?

What is the bird pecking at?

• 桌to̤h82756
• A small table; light stands.

hûeⁿ-thâu to̤h;

side tables.

to̤h kīⁿ;

a stand with drawers.

cò̤ to̤h-sîah, chíaⁿ nâng-kheh;

make a supper and invite guests.

cí kâi khah-tiaⁿ pàng ŭ kúi to̤h?

How many tables for guests can be spread in this room?

chíaⁿ i lâi cîah to̤h;

invite him to a supper.

pái to̤h;

set the table.

• 卓to̤h82246
• Eminent; raised above others.

i tŏ̤ i hieⁿ-lí sĭ àiⁿ cò̤ to̤h-to̤h kâi nâng;

he wants to be the leading man in his village.

• 奪tô̤h9133711
• To take by force; to snatch; to get by striving; to carry off, as a prize; to take away, as rank.

chíeⁿ-tô̤h nâng kâi mûeh;

seize and carry off people's goods.

kun-cṳ́ m̄ tô̤h nâng só̤ hàuⁿ;

the princely man does not covet what others prize.

sì-sôk nâng to sĭ tó̤ ceⁿ mîaⁿ tô̤h lĭ;

the vulgar contend for fame and strive for gain.

i seⁿ lâi sît-căi tô̤h mâk;

its beauty really dazzles the eyes.

cĭu sĭ i nŏ̤ nâng tó̤ tô̤h ngŵn;

those two are the ones who are striving for the highest place in the list of graduates.

i to̤h i m̄ kùe;

he could not snatch it from her.

• 擇tô̤h9586413
• Choose; select; pick out.

sẃn-tô̤h;

select.

sòi-sim tô̤h;

carefully pick out.

tô̤h jît;

choose lucky days.

tô̤h kâi bó̤ jît;

select a lucky day.

tô̤h chin-cîaⁿ;

choose a wife.

kóiⁿ-tô̤h nâng châi;

select and promote talented men.

tô̤h nâng kau-chap;

to choose one's associates.

hó̤ kâi tô̤h khṳ̀ cîah;

pick out the best and eat it.

tô̤h hó̤ kâi;

select good ones.

tô̤h pûi-jṳ̆ cîah;

select luscious ones for eating; take such as may be fleeced.

bô̤ sẃn-tô̤h;

no choice.

lṳ́ tô̤h m̄ pat tò̤ khṳ̀, lṳ́ só̤ tô̤h sĭ bô ēng, hó̤ kâi tô̤h m̄ tîeh;

you do not know how to choose and that which you have chosen is useless, while there were good ones which you did not select.

bô̤ thang hó̤ sẃn-tô̤h;

there is nothing from which to choose.

bô̤ hó̤ sẃn-tô̤h;

there is no choice among them.

míen-ēng sẃn-tô̤h, lóng-cóng hó̤ kâi;

to pick and choose is needless, they are all good ones.

hó̤ kâi khṳ̂ nâng soiⁿ tô̤h khṳ̀;

the good ones were all taken previously.

• 𤏲tô̤h818612
• To blaze up; to set fire to.

khin-khin cē líam cū tô̤h;

if you touch it ever so lightly it will blaze up.

húe tô̤h khí lâi;

the fire has kindled.

teng cò̤-nî líam m̄ tô̤h;

the lamp will not light.

húe-lô khí tô̤h lío cìaⁿ hó̤ cò̤ pât sṳ̄;

kindle the fire in the stove first and then do the other things.

cí-hûe kâi húe nĕ tô̤h-tô̤h tŏ̤-kò̤;

the fire is now blazing up brightly.

tiêh phuah kàu nĕ tô̤h-tô̤h;

on hearing it, his wrath waxed hot.

thóiⁿ tîeh hía húe-sîn cheⁿ-tô̤h khí lâi;

on seeing it, his temper was roused.

phâk ta-ta cìaⁿ kōi tô̤h húe;

dry it thoroughly in the sun and then it will ignite easily.

khṳt jît phâk kàu tô̤h húe;

ste on fire by the sun's rays.

jû lîu-n̂g líam tô̤h húe méⁿ căi;

flashes up like sulphur to which a fire is applied.

• 拾tô̤h768646
• To pick up.

tô̤h khí lâi;

pick it up.

tô̤h tîeh mûeh-kĭaⁿ;

something picked up.

thô-ĕ tô̤h tîeh pó̤, kìⁿ kuaⁿ bô̤ thó̤;

a valuable thing picked up from the groudn cannot be demanded back even through a magistrate.