Page:Dictionary of the Swatow dialect.djvu/271

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dictionary of the swatow dialect.

247

tion in life.

cía sĭ hó̤ kieh;: this is a good occupation.
cí kâi nâng sĭ cho kieh a sĭ ìuⁿ kieh?: Is this person one who does coarse or fine work?
cí cêk chun cie ŭ sĭm-mih tōa kieh hūn?: Of what rank in the profession are those advertised for this season?

kien-kiù;: steadfast.
kien-tōiⁿ;: stable.
kien-sît;: solid; substantial.
kien-ngĕ;: hardened, solidified.
cò̤ kàu kien-kien kù-kù;: make it so that it will be very durable.
i kâi cì kien căi;: his purpose is fixed.
sái i kâi siang-sìn kien-kù;: strengthen his confidence.
nâng tîeh ŏi kien-jím;: one must have endurance.
kien cip ka-kī kâi ì;: holds obstinately to his own idea.
sim kien cîeh īa chwn;: unflinching determination will wear away even a stone.
i kâi sim kien căi;: his resolution is unwavering.

kien-lĭen;: unwilling to spend.
cò̤ sṳ̄ màiⁿ khah kien-lĭen;: do not be too economical of force in doing things.
i kien câi, m̄ khéng chut cîⁿ;: he is very close-fisted.

‮捐‬kien499647
To contribute at a call from government; to buy a title or office; a benevolence levied for a state exigency.

kien-tôi ŭ jîeh cōi cîⁿ?: How much money was subscribed?
kîen ngṳ̂n cêk choiⁿ níe;: contributed a thousand taels in silver.
cía sĭ kien kâi khang hâm, bô̤ kien sît sĭu;: this is the purchase of an empty title, not of any real office.
i sĭ kien sĭm-mih ceh-hâm?: What title did he purchase?
íⁿ-keng kien kuaⁿ khṳ̀ cò̤;: has already bought an office and gone to fill it.
kien kêk;: the office where contributions are taken.
lâm-lêng īa hó̤ kien, hue-lêng īa hó̤ kien;: a raven's plume may be purchased, and may a peacock's feather.
têng tī-kâi sî-hāu ŭ khui kien?: At what time was the subscription opened?

this absurd?

i íⁿ-keng kìen-gî;: he is already suspicious.
nŏ̤ nâng kâi ì-kìen m̄ sie tâng;: the two hold different views.
lṳ́ hô̤-íⁿ kìen tit sĭ cìeⁿ-seⁿ?: How could you know it would be so?
kak nâng kak nêng kâi sek-kìen;: each person has his own experience.
cí khí nâng bô̤ bŭn bô̤ kìen;: these people have learned nothing by experience.
cîah kàu hìeⁿ lău hŵn-lío bô̤ kìen bô̤ sek, thèng cò̤;: so old and yet so inexperienced, doing things at random.
ka-kī m̄ hío, m̄ tîeh khṳ̀ mn̄g ŭ kìen-sek hùe?: If you do not yourself know what ought to be done, why do you not go and ask those who have experience?
put kìen khî hó̤, īa put kìen khî m̄-hó̤;: have not discovered him to be either particularly good or particularly bad.
m̄-sĭ ŭ cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ cū m̄ kìen i kâi ŏi chù;: but for this we should not have known his abilities.
i kìen lí m̄ mêng;: he does not clearly perceive the principle of it.

kìen sìⁿ;: a fan made of lutestring.
cí kò̤ tìeⁿ-bâi sĭ kìen kâi a sĭ tîu kâi?: Is this valance for the top of the bedstead made of lutestring or of plain thin silk?

tōa-kẃn-kĭen;: the gist; the main point.
cí kâi sṳ̄ sĭ tōa-kẃn-kĭen kâi sṳ̄;: this is the leading feature of the affair.
cí pang cṳ kâi tōa-kẃn-kĭen tŏ̤ tī-kò̤?: In what part of this set of books are their important doctrines to be found?

i sĭ kĭen sĭm-mih kuaⁿ?: What office has he secured by a contribution to the government?
sĭ kĭen có̤ câk, a sĭ kĭen cìaⁿ tn̂g?: Has he purchased an office that is given by a magistrate, or one that is conferred by the imperial government?

càng-kĭen;: sturdy.
kṳn kut càng-kĭen;: sinewy.
i sui-sĭ poih-câp hùe hŵn-lío càng-càng kĭen-kĭen;: although he is eighty years old he is still very brawny.
úa thóiⁿ nín a-má kâi khì-thói hŵn-lío càng-kĭen;: I see that your grandmother is still hale and strong.
i lău nâng khang-kĭen căi;: the old man is very