Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/kṳn

by Adele Marion Fielde

kṳn

• 根kṳn317756
• The roots of plants; origin, beginning, cause, foundation; fundamental, radical.

chīu kṳn;

the roots of trees.

cêk tîo kṳn chẁn kàu hn̆g-hn̆g kò̤ khṳ̀;

a root has made its way to a long distance.

hó̤ kṳn tói;

the bottom of a thing; the cause, or origin of a thing.

i kâi sĭm-mih kṳn-tí?

What is at the bottom of it all?

i kâi kṳn-pún sĭ chông tī-kò̤ lâi kâi?

Whence comes the original cause?

cí kâi ūe tàⁿ chut lâi bô̤ kṳn;

there is no foundation for this story.

kui kṳn, sĭ cò̤-nî?

To go back to its origin, what does it amount to?

sòi mn̄g i kâi kṳn-îu;

carefully inquire into its origin.

bô̤ kṳn cúi-lâu-phîe;

a rootless weed that floats on the surface of the water; a vagrant.

ŭ sĭm-mih kṳn-kṳ̆ mē?

Is there any well based evidence of it?

kṳn chim, lih kù;

roots deep and rootlets tough.

cám cháu, tṳ̂ kṳn;

cut down the weeds and destroy their roots; utterly eradicate.

lṳ́ thóiⁿ cí kâi a-noⁿ-kíaⁿ ŭ kṳn-ki a bô̤?

Do you think this child has much vigor?

à pit chêng-chīu kṳn;

split a banyan root by argument.

ngŵn kṳn sĭ tī-tîang kâi?

Whose was the original foundation?

cía phò úa sĭ kìo i bói tn̆g kṳn kâi;

as to this shop, I have bought him out altogether.

i cē bô̤ cîⁿ, cū tó̤ hwn châng kṳn, chù kṳn;

being out of money, he is selling off his fields and houses, without reservation.

tŏ̤ i chù sĭ tó̤ kă hun-kuah kṳn;

in his house they live on sweet potatoes.

hṳ́ cho̤h nâng cū sĭ i kâi kṳn-mîoⁿ;

those people are his offspring.

pàng kàu chin-chĭeⁿ seⁿ kṳn tùe tī hìeⁿ-seⁿ;

if you set it down, it is as if it produced roots and adhered to the earth.

• 筋kṳn3971186
• The tendons; the sinews; applied also to the veins and nerves; sinewy, strong.

cêk sin tau kṳn, pâk kut;

a sharp pain in the joints over the whole body.

cá-jît hut-jîen cū thiu kha kṳn;

was taken suddenly with a cramp in the leg yesterday.

mīn-tèng tîo cheⁿ-kṳn phû-phû;

a swollen vein on the face.

i kâi phûe khah pô̤h, hía kṳn cêk tîo cêk tîo, thóiⁿ hīn-hĭn;

her complexion is too transparent, and the veins can be plainly seen.

hàm i lâi kio úa lîah pùe kṳn;

t«ll him to come and knead my back for me, to ease the pain.

cí kò̤ sĭ cóng kṳn thâu;

this is a nerve centre.

tōa kṳn;

sinews.

âng kṳn;

arteries.

jī sìa tōa kṳn;

the letters are written with bold strokes.

kuah tīo i nŏ̤ tîo kha kṳn;

to cut the tendons of the legs, (a terrible punishment).

mīⁿ kṳn;

tough strings of dried dough.

hueh kṳn;

blood vessels.

gû-nêk tîeh kuah màiⁿ seⁿ kûn kâi;

you must get beef which has no tendons in it.

hía kṳn jūn căi, pō m̄ lô̤h;

that tendon is very tough, I cannot chew it.

phû kṳn lò kut;

become emaciated.

i kâi kha kṳn cē sek ngĕ, tōa nâng tàⁿ i cū m̄ thiaⁿ;

as soon as he gets upon his own legs, he will give no heed to what his elders say to him.

i jíang kàu ăm kṳn phòng-phòng;

he shrieked until his throat was ready to burst.

cí īeⁿ îeh ŏi càng kṳn kut;

this medicine will impart muscular strength.

• 斤kṳn397690
• The Chinese pound; its weight differs in different localities: by treaty a catty is fixed at 1 ⅓ pounds averdupois.

cêk kṳn nŏ̤ kṳn ŭ;

I have perhaps a catty or two.

pùaⁿ kṳn tùi poih níe;

a half a catty is as good as eight onnces.

cêk tàⁿ cêk peh kṳn;

a picul is a hundred catties,

ŭ kúi kṳn tăng?

How many catties does it weigh?

taⁿ choiⁿ kṳn tàⁿ;

carrying a burden of a thousand catties.

i kâi chìn kṳn-nìe síam;

this steelyard gives short weight.

cí ki chìn, níe cìeⁿ tōa, kṳu cìeⁿ síam;

on this steelyard, the ounces are over weight and the catties under weight.

cêk kṳn sĭ câp-lâk níe a sĭ câp-poih níe?

Is the pound one of sixteen ounces, or one of eighteen ounces?

pha bô̤ kṳn táu;

to turn somersaults.

• 跟kṳn3171576
• To follow at one's heels.

kṳn-sûi;

to follow, as au attendant.

câp nâng kṳn, poih nâng sûi;

a number of persons followed as attendants.

i sĭ tó̤ kṳn kuaⁿ kâi nâng;

he is one who acts as attendant on a magisti-ate.

i pat kṳn kùe tău-thâi;

he has been an attendant on the Prefect.

cí nŏ̤ kâi chiah-kha sĭ ciu-jît kṳu-sûi i kâi;

these two large footed women attend upon her all day.

• 巾kṳn397500
• A napkin; a kerchief.

chíu kṳn; kūaⁿ kṳn;

a handkerchief.

thâu kṳn;

a head-cloth.

thâu-tèng tà cêk kò̤ o kṳn;

wore a black head-cloth.

jìo-se tèng tùe kŭa cêk lîap o kṳn kho-hue;

on the crape was fixed such an ornament as elderly women usually wear on a black head-cloth.

so kṳn;

a plain herchief.

tang-îeⁿ kṳn;

a foreign kerchief.

• 均kṳn418324
• To equalize; to adjust; even; level.

pun lâi m̄ kṳn-pêⁿ;

they are not impartially distributed.

tăi-ke lâi kṳn hun;

come all of you and take equal shares.

kṳn sĭ ŭ iah kâi sṳ̄;

impartial adjustment is beneficial.

• 僅kṳ́n399911
• Nothing over; hardly enough; scarcely; little short only; nothing more.

i kṳ́n sĭ cìeⁿ-seⁿ tàⁿ tīaⁿ-tīaⁿ;

he said just this and nothing more.

úa kṳ́n lâi cêk hûe;

I came but once.

kṳ́n-kṳ́n kio i cò̤-pṳ̂ cîah cêk tńg tīaⁿ;

ate with him only once.

put kùe kṳ́n-kṳ́n kàu ēng;

have no more than barely enough.

kṳ́n sĭ i cai tīaⁿ, pât nâng m̄ cai;

he only knows, no one else knows.

• 謹kṳ́n39914911
• Diligent; careful; vigilant; serious; attentive; respectful.

lṳ́ tîeh kṳ́n sim;

you must give your whole mind to it.

cang lói-mûeh khṳ̀ kṳ́n kŭ i;

take offerings and respectfully present them to him.

kṳ́n cun i kâi mĕng-lĕng;

sedulously attend to his orders.

• 巹kṳ́n399266
• The nuptial wine cup.

kîaⁿ hâh-kṳ́n kâi lói;

perform the rite of partaking of the nuptial wine.

• 饉kṳ̀n40018411
• A dearth of vegetables.

keⁿ-chài bô̤ siu-sêng kìe-cò̤ kṳ̀n;

when vegetables do not come to perfection there is said to be a vegetable famine.

ki-kṳ̀n kâi sî-hāu;

a time of dearth.

• 屭kṳ̀n1824421
• To exert all one's strength; to struggle on.

i kâi lâk sòi, sĭ khak-khó kṳ̀n kâi, m̄ sĭ cò̤ tit lâi;

she has little strength, and it is done with great effort, it is not what she is really able to do.

úa thóiⁿ i ciu jît kṳ̀n kàu chám căi;

I see that he exerts himself painfully all day.

tàⁿ li tăng, lâk li bô̤, khak-sí-khó tó̤ kṳ̀n;

the burden is heavy, the strength gone, and he is struggling on as if for life.

• 艮kṳ̀n3171380
• The third of the eight diagrams.

pok tîeh kâi kṳ̀n khùe;

cast the eighth diagram when divining.

• 凝kṳ̂n6371514
• To congeal; to coagulate; to curdle; to stiffen; to freeze.

cē lā chìn cū kṳ̂n;

as soon as it cools it will stiffen.

íⁿ-keng kṳ̂n mīn;

has already stiffened on the surface.

lâ kṳn kàu kò̤;

the fat has stiffened and formed a single lump.

chìn kàu în kṳ̂n-tàng;

so cold that the oil has become solid.

thiⁿ-sî jṳ̂ah, nêk-thng phû lío, bŏi kṳ̂n-tàng;

when the weather is hot, the soup does not stiffen after being cooked.

• 胵kṳ̆n651306
• The gizzard.

koi kṳ̆n, ah kṳ̆n, gô̤ kṳ̆n;

the gizzards of chickens, ducks, and geese.

chá kuaⁿ kṳ̆n;

fried gibblets.

• 近kṳ̆n4011624
• Near in time or place; to draw close to; adjoining.

kṳ̆n-kṳ̆n nē;

close at hand.

i kṳ̆n jît cìaⁿ lâi;

he came not long since.

úa kṳ̆n sî cìaⁿ lâi;

I came lately.

ciang kṳ̆n àiⁿ hó̤ lío;

it will very soon be finished.

kṳ̆n hái kâi tī-hng;

regions near the sea.

kṳ̆n-lâi ŭ sĭm-mih sin bŭn?

What news is there of late?

cía sĭ tŏ̤ cí kṳ̆n nî cìaⁿ sin khí lī;

these are the new regulations, established within the last few years.

tùi cí tîo lō ío kṳ̆n;

it is nearer to go by this road.

cŏ̤ kṳ̆n i sin-piⁿ;

sit close to him.

kîaⁿ kṳ̆n lō;

go the nearest way.

i kâi mâk kṳ̆n-sĭ;

she is near sighted.

cí kù ūe tàⁿ lâi ío kṳ̆n lí;

this is nearer the truth.

hn̆g kṳ̆n thŵn mîaⁿ;

spread its fame far and near.

lîn-kṳ̆n hieⁿ;

neighboring villages.

àiⁿ kîaⁿ kṳ̆n, tin-tò̤ hn̆g;

wanted to go by the nearest route, and went by the farthest instead.

hŭ-kṳ̆n kâi tī-hng;

adjacent land.

kṳ̆n tō;

the present generation.

i m̄ káⁿ kṳ̆n côiⁿ;

he dare not approach.

cía kâi nâng, hó̤ kio i chin-kṳ̆n;

this person is one we may affiliate with.

cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ i kâi sèⁿ ío kṳ̆n;

this is something that he would learn more easily, having a natural bent toward it.

thóiⁿ-kìⁿ li kṳ̆n, kîaⁿ tîeh cìaⁿ cai hn̆g;

it appeared to be close at hand, but on walking there we found it far off.

hn̆g chìo m̄ jû kṳ̆n phûh;

a strong friend far away is not so good as a weak one near by.

íen cúi kìu put tit kṳ̆n húe;

water that is distant cannot put out a fire close at hand.