Dictionary of the Swatow dialect/kau

by Adele Marion Fielde

kau

• 抅kau328644
• To get; to grasp; to lug-along,

hàm nâng khṳ̀ kau i lâi;

tell some one to go and bring him here.

úa lâi khṳ̀ kau i lâi mn̄g;

I will go and fetch him here to be questioned.

• 轇輵kau-kuah369
• Something indistinctly seen in the distance; perplexed and unsettled.

kau-kuah, m̄ cheng-chó̤;

vague and incomplete.

i kio i pit sĭ ŭ sĭm-mih kau-kuah;

there is certainly some antagonism between them.

sìo-bâk kau-kuah, m̄ cheng;

the accounts are juggled, and remain unbalanced.

cĭeⁿ chíu kio ĕ chíu kau-kuah, m̄ cheng;

the foregoing and the following are inconsistent with each other, and confusion arises from the lack of clearness.

• 泥垢kau-koih630
• Scurf ; grime.

háng sói-êk, cêk sin cĕng-cĕng kau-koih;

he seldom bathes, and his whole body is covered with grime.

sói cheng-khih lío hŵn-lío ŭ kau-koih bô̤ kùe tàⁿ nâng sĭ thô cò̤ kâi;

having washed one's self clean, one can still rub up the grime, so no wonder it is said that man is made from clay.

hía kau-koih m̄ tîeh chìu cheng-khih?

Why do you not scour off all the scurf?

• 勾kau328202
• To mark off; to entice; to hook on.

cêk pit kau-sio;

to cancel an account.

sĭ i khṳ̀ kau-ín i lâi;

it was he who inveigled him here.

i tó̤ cò̤ sĭm-mih kau tàng?

What under-hand job is he at?

kau-thong húiⁿ lūi;

in league with the conspirators.

bûn-cieⁿ àiⁿ kau kó tíam kù;

this essay is to be punctuated.

kau-lau tîeh i kâi sim sṳ̄;

made out what he had in his mind.

jī-ke tó̤ kau-lau sim sṳ̄;

each is trying to make out what the other is plotting.

• 交kau36784
• To hand over to; to have dealings with; intercourse; to blend; to communicate with; to join.

kau-ìⁿ;

an arm chair.

bô̤ kio i kau-chap;

does not associate with him.

cîⁿ-ngṳ̂n lŭn kau chíu;

money passes from hand to hand.

úa kâi só̤-sî kau tó̤ i chíu tèng;

my key is in his hands.

seng-lí kau-êk;

trade and barter.

i kio i ŭ kau-chêng;

they hold pleasant intercourse with each other.

ìⁿ-keng kio i cô̤h kau;

has already ceased from intercourse with him.

tŏ̤ cí gūa kau phêng chú íu tiêh ŭ sín ;

in forming friendships out here one has to exercise faith.

kau pue ūaⁿ cúaⁿ;

the wedding cup.

būe cêng kau-hong cū soiⁿ cáu;

retreated before having joined in battle.

kau-kwn bói bōi;

exchange of commodities.

nín thīn i ŭ kau-sîap a bô̤?

Are you on intimate terms with them?

kau ngŏ-sî a būe?

Is it eleven o'clock yet?

kau kùe pêh-lō cū sǹg cò̤ poih gûeh;

after the White Dew it is the eighth month.

kau-tài cheng-chó̤;

delivered over the full tale.

kau-îu sĭm sĭ khuah;

his relationships are of wide extent.

cí kĭaⁿ sṳ̄ kau-tài lṳ́ cò̤;

hand this business over to you for accomplishment.

sĭ úa kau-khṳt lṳ́ kâi;

it is what I delivered over to you.

lṳ́ li kau úa, úa li kau i;

you delivered it over to me, and I handed it over to him.

cêng kau pûaⁿ a būe?

Is the cargo delivered over yet?

put hṳ́ nâng kau thâu ciap hĭⁿ;

not allow people to put their heads together.

ŭ nŏ̤ kâi sim kau kâi phêng-íu;

has two congenial friends.

sĭ toaⁿ cang sim kau-chap tīaⁿ, būe pat hŭe mīn;

have had mental communion only, not having yet seen each other.

• 高kau3241890
• Elevated; eminent; of high degree; old; tall; advanced.

lṳ́ ío kau kìen;

your opinion is of greater value.

i kâi kìen-sek pí nâng ío kau ;

his experience is wider than that of others.

kau seⁿ tōa mîaⁿ;

your name and surname.

lâi kio i kìⁿ kâi kau-ti cē;

come and see which can get the better of the other in a contest.

ngō̤ tîeh cí hûe kau-héng;

it happens that he is just now much elated.

kau-thâi sî kè;

raise the current price.

chông-îang coih ŭ teng kau kâi hong-sôk;

it is customary to mount to high places on the ninth of the ninth month.

kau-lî siam;

Corean ginseng.

tăi hŭam nâng àiⁿ híang kau nî to tîeh ŭ kâi īeⁿ;

whoever wishes to live to great age, must have a plan in living.

kau có;

great great grandfather.

kau-lâu;

a restaurant.

kau-lâu-kẃn kâi chài pí cíu-kẃn kâi ío hó̤ ;

the fare at the restaurant is better than that at the wine shop.

cí kâi sîn-seⁿ sĭm kau mîaⁿ;

this teacher has a great name.

i cē peh cĭeⁿ kau suaⁿ cū mō̤ⁿ m̄ kìⁿ pêⁿ tī;

as soon as he mounts to a height he is unable to behold what is on the plain.

nâng sim put cok kau;

the heart of man is never satisfied with what ambition has attained.

lṳ́ kâi chíu-tw̄n pí i ío kau;

your strength of arm is greater than his.

• 鈎kau3281674
• A hook; a barb; a fluke; to hook.

tìeⁿ hṳ̂ kâi tìeⁿ-kau;

a hook to catch fish with.

máng-tìeⁿ kau;

a hook to hold up a mosquito bar.

khîeh ki tah-kau kâi i tah tìaⁿ;

take a hook and hook it fast.

nêk khṳ̀ tìo-pàng kau tèng;

hang the meat on the hook.

pâk kâi kau hó̤ tìo mûeh;

fasten up a hook to hang things on.

hṳ̂ cē cîah jī cū khṳt i kau kín tŏ̤ kò̤;

when the fish takes the bait; he is hooked fast on it.

kau chut lâi;

hook it out.

kau hĭⁿ;

dig the wax out of the ear-passages.

kau kàu hṳ́ tói-tói kò̤;

dig down to the bottom with the hook.

sie kau;

hooked together.

kau-kau lîen-lîen;

interlinked.

nău kau tàu so̤h;

set a trap of hooks and ropes to lasso something.

i kâi jī ngía căi, ngṳ̂n kau, thih ûeh;

his letters are well made, with sharp curves and bold strokes.

chieⁿ nêk tèng ŭ kâi kau;

at the end of the spear there was a hook.

khṳt kau tah kín tŏ̤ kò̤, bŏi tit chut;

it is hooked on tightly so it will not come off.

hĭⁿ-kau;

an ear-ring of a hooked shape.

• 蛟kau3671426

kau-lêng;

the dragon of thickets and morasses; a salamander.

kau-lêng pw̆n tīo tĭ-hng;

a dragon overturned the land.

tang thiⁿ-sî khṳ̀ chim suaⁿ tèng líu tīo kau-lêng nn̆g;

go in winter to the recesses of the mountains and dig up dragon's eggs.

kau-lêng sĭ sĭang lĭ-hāi kâi mùeh;

the land dragon is a most destructive creature.

kau-lêng n̆ng tōa kâi ŭ kio chō̤ cêk nŏ̤ cîeh cúi kâi àng hìeⁿ tōa;

a large sized egg of a land dragon is as large as a jar that will hold one or two firkins of water.

• 溝kau3288510
• A ditch; a drain; a sewer; a gutter.

cúi kau sak khṳ̀; khîeh ki mûeh khù thn̄g i thong;

the drain is clogged, get something and poke it open.

kau lō pê thong-thong, lô̤h tōa hŏ cìaⁿ bŏi cĭeⁿ cúi ;

rake the drain free from obstructions, and then when there is a heavy rain it will not overflow.

cí cho̤h châng múa-tī-kò kâi kau-khut chim, cúi ŭaⁿ to m̄ ùi ;

in these fields hereabouts the ditches and ponds are deep, and there is no fear of danger from drought.

cí kò̤ ŭ cêk tîo kau thàng kùe khṳ̀;

there is a ditch running through here from one side to the other.

sái kau-kíaⁿ;

a sewer.

tōa sái kau;

main sewer.

kîaⁿ cêk mêⁿ bô̤ sái kau;

feet so big that she would not step in the gutter if walking at night.

àm kau;

a covered drain.

• 羔kau3251234
• A lamb; a kid.

o-cí-kau phûe-bé-kùa cêk kâi ēng jìeh cōi ngṳ̂n?

How much does a riding jacket of naturally black lamb skin cost?

pêh kau phûe;

white lambskin.

o kau phûe;

black lambskin.

• 狗káu329945
• A dog.

kho káu khṳ̀ ciah;

call the dog to its food.

káu tó̤ pui;

the dog is barking.

suaⁿ káu;

wild dogs.

sío káu;

a mad dog.

bô̤ cú kâi káu;

a dog without a master.

hái-káu;

seals.

hái-káu sĭen hó̤ cò̤ îeh;

the kindeys of seals are good for medicine.

káu hó̤ cíeⁿ mn̂g;

dogs are good to guard the house.

lâh káu;

hunting dogs.

cí cîah káu hó̤ phah lâh;

this dog is a good hunter.

• 九káu41351
• Nine.

káu-choiⁿ káu-peh káu-câp-káu;

nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.

káu-káu poih-câp-cêk;

nine times nine are eighty-one.

m̄ kẃn i saⁿ-káu jī-câp-chit;

pay no attention to his reckoning.

káu gûeh chiu káu kíe-cò̤ chông-îang-coih;

the ninth day of the ninth month is called the autumnal festival.

káu kui kâi sǹg huap;

the rules of arithmetic.

káu kui káu tṳ̂ káu káu poih-câp-it kui tṳ̂;

whether you divide by nine, or subtract nine times, there are nine nines in eighty-one.

cò̤ káu nâng pun;

divide it equally among nine persons.

kuaⁿ hun-cò̤ káu pín;

officials are divided into nine grades.

cih cò̤ káu sîaⁿ;

received nine tenths of it.

thóiⁿ tîeh kàu káu sîaⁿ chiⁿ;

it appears to me that about nine tenths of it is untainted.

káu hun hó̤;

nine parts in ten are good.

káu kūiⁿ;

the nine districts.

• 槁káu3257510
• Dry; withered; desire gone.

cìeⁿ-sî cîah lâi kâi mĭn sek ko-káu;

his face is very thin lately.

ko-káu;

attenuated; forlorn looking.

sía lâi kâi pit ûeh khah ko-káu;

the strokes in the writing are too fine and thin.

• 枸杞káu-kí329
• The barberry.

káu-kí cí;

the seeds of the Berberis lycium, used as a febrifuge.

káu-kí chài;

a plant whose leaves are edible, and are used as greens.

lì ke choiⁿ lí màiⁿ cîah káu-kí;

when a thousand miles from home, one should not eat barberry preserves.

• 狡káu369946
• Wily, tricky, crafty.

kang-káu;

tricky.

káu-kût;

wily.

tàⁿ ūe to sĭ kang-kang káu-káu;

he is very cunning in his speech.

• 颳𬱽káu-kâⁿ821
• A revolving wind.

káu-kâⁿ-huang;

a whirl-wind, which carries the dust on high: the people say the gods use such for ascending and descending.

khṳt cêk cūn káu-kâⁿ huang lâi kàu, cū lóng-lóng khṳt i chue tīo khṳ̀;

if a whirlwind comes, it will blow the whole away.

cūn káu-kâⁿ-huang lâi kàu tùi i kâi pò ká tŏ̤ pùaⁿ-thiⁿ tó̤ pue;

a whirlwind came and took her cloth into the air and whirled it round and round.

• 到kàu867186
• To arrive at; to reach; finished; until; at; up to; still; yet; sign of the past tense.

àiⁿ kàu a būe?

Are we nearly there?

cîah kàu pá;

eat till the appetite is satisfied.

thóiⁿ kàu lă;

to look at as much as one wishes.

phah kàu phàaⁿ-sìeⁿ;

beat so much as to maim.

thìaⁿ kàu năi m̄ khṳ̀;

ached so that I could not bear it.

kiaⁿ kàu hêk;

walked until tired.

ke cêk kò̤-kíaⁿ cū kàu;

a little bit more will be the full amount.

cò̤-nî kàu taⁿ hŵn būe kàu?

How is it that up to this time he has not yet arrived?

bói kàu taⁿ ŭ jîeh kú?

How long ago did you buy it?

kàu tī-tiang-sî i cū àiⁿ kè;

at that time she is to be married.

i kàu ke câp nî lío;

he came home ten years since.

lṳ́ àiⁿ kàu tī kó̤?

Whither are you going?

úa àiⁿ kàu nín kò̤ thit-thô̤;

I am going to your house for recreation.

cí kò̤ úa pat kàu kùe kâi;

I have been here before.

i sĭeⁿ tit kàu, ua sĭeⁿ m̄ kàu;

he thought of it, but I did not.

sṳ̄ kàu thâu lâi put cṳ̆ îu;

when the thing has happened you cannot choose concerning it.

kò̤ kò̤ úa pat kàu;

I have been to all those places.

bŏi tit khùe-khùe kàu;

cannot get there soon enough.

kîaⁿ kàu àiⁿ kàu cū ngŏ̤-tîeh i;

when nearly there we met him.

cha-m̄-to̤ àiⁿ kàu lío;

almost there.

kàu sî lṳ́ cū cai;

when the time arrives you will know.

kîaⁿ kàu lō tèng cìaⁿ sĭeⁿ tîeh;

when I was on the way I thought of it.

sî kàu, hue cū khui;

when the time comes, the flowers will blossom.

kàu chù cêk īeⁿ;

it is the same everywhere.

lâi kàu cí kò̤ sim cìaⁿ uaⁿ;

when I arrived at this point, my mind became calm.

bô̤ huang bŏi tit kàu;

if there is no wind we shall not reach there.

kàu chù a būe?

Has he reached home yet?

kàu tói sĭ cò̤-nî?

What are the bottom facts?

• 全kàu1013114
• Entire in all its parts; whole; unbroken.

cía sí kàu-kâi kâi;

this is a whole one.

a-phìen thô bói kàu lîap ŏi ío phíⁿ mē?

Is opium cheaper if you buy a whole ball?

bói kàu sieⁿ kèng phīⁿ;

it is cheaper when bought by the whole box.

kàu koiⁿ chù kâi tī ēng jîeh khuah?

How much space is required for the whole house?

i àiⁿ sùe kàu koiⁿ, a sĭ àiⁿ sùe cêk pôiⁿ?

Does he wish to rent the whole, or only a part of it?

koi, kàu ciah sie;

roast the fowl whole.

îⁿ kàu lîap thun lô̤h khṳ̀;

swallow the pill whole.

kàu kò̤, kùe i khṳ̀;

let him take the whole lump.

cí pang cṳ kàu pang mē?

Is this set of volumes a complete series?

cía sĭ kàu hù kâi;

this is a complete set.

• 彀kàu3315710
• Sufficient; enough; adequate.

kàu a m̄ kàu?

there enough of it?

m̄ kàu ēng;

it is insufficient.

tîeh khîeh kàu i kàu ēng;

you must take as much as he needs to use.

hŵn-lío būe kàu-cok;

still there is not enough.

cí cêk cho̤h m̄ kàu i cīah;

this is not as much as he wants to eat.

khut i thit-thô̤ kàu kàu;

let him amuse himself as much as he pleases.

cí kò̤ m̄ kàu cò̤;

this piece is not enough to make it of.

nín ke lǎi kâi gûeh câp-kâi-ngṳ̂n kàu nín sṳ-hùi mĕ?

Is ten dollars a month sufficient to meet the expenses of your household?

• 告kàu326804
• To announce to a superior.

kàu-kài tĭ-cṳ́;

warn his pupils.

úa kàu-sù lṳ́ cai;

I beg to inform you of it.

kàu sî lío;

I am about to take my leave, (said by a visitor to his host).

• 誥kàu3261497
• A patent or seals; to signify one's wishes.

kàu-mĕng;

credentials.

kàu-mĕng hu-jîn;

a patent enobling the mother of an official.

kàu hong saⁿ tō̤;

he ennobled three generations of his ancestors.

híam-híam pĭ chîo-thêng tô̤h tńg kàu-mĕng;

came very near having his patent of nobility taken back by the government.

i kàu-cāng sĭm-mih kuaⁿ?

To what official rank is he raised?

• 得kàu872608
• When used after another verb, expresses the potential mood or a form of the past tense; to become; to attain.

cò̤ kàu ngía;

has made it very handsome.

tàⁿ kàu hó̤ thiaⁿ hó̤ thiaⁿ;

spoke very properly.

siu-sîp káu iap-thiap iap-thiap;

arranged in the neatest manner.

• 商kàu739808
• To deliberate; to consult; to adjust by consultation.

kàu-nîe;

to talk over and arrange a plan.

nán lâi kàu-nîe;

let us talk it over.

kàu-nîe kàu hó̤ cìaⁿ lâi kîaⁿ;

when we have through consultation come to a conclusion, then we will proceed to carry out our decision.

i nŏ̤ nâng ío ŭ kàu-nîe;

the two talk over and arrange matters with each other.

• 跨kâu4681576
• To bestride; astride.

kha cū kâu kùe khṳ̀;

threw his leg over it.

kâu tŏ̤ bé sin téng;

astride of a horse.

kâu tŏ̤ koiⁿ-thâu;

sitting astride of his shoulder.

• 猴kâu174949
• A monkey.

sĭ kâu kíaⁿ a sĭ tōa kâu?

Is it a monkey or an ape?

khang kâu kâi tó̤d phò kha khṳt cîⁿ;

one who leads a monkey about is before the shop begging cash.

thóiⁿ nâng mŏng kâu hì;

see a play in which monkeys perform.

tok koi kà kâu;

chop up a fowl in order to scare a monkey into better behaviour.

i sang mâk cū sĭ cheⁿ cang kâu;

he looks around like a newly caught monkey.

i sang mâk kâu-kâu iang;

he rolls his eyes about as a monkey does.

kâi kâu khîa ciah káu;

a monkey riding on a dog's back.

ŵn-kâu;

a baboon.

kim-si-kâu;

a small gray monkey.

ní-kâu;

an ape.

• 蚯蚓kău-ún416
• The common earth-worm.

líu kúi tîo kău-ún lâi chī ah;

dig a few earth-worms to feed to the ducks.

• 栗子kău-lâk539
• The chestnut, and some kinds of oak.

kău-lâk chut a būe?

Has the season for chestnuts arrived yet?

cheⁿ kău-lâk;

raw chestnuts.

ko̤-sie kău-lâk;

steamed chestnuts.

• 厚kău176277
• Thick; substantial; liberal; generous; intimate; well flavored; rich.

ŭ jîeh kău?

How thick is it?

saⁿ chùn kău;

three inches thick.

cí khí cúa ío kău, hṳ́ khí khah pô̤h;

this sort of paper is thicker, that sort is too thin.

i chēng sang kău-tói-ôi;

he wore a pair of thick-soled shoes.

úa àiⁿ cho kău kâi pò hó̤;

I want coarse, thick cloth.

cí kâi kaⁿ khah kău phûe;

the rinds of these oranges are too thick.

i său kùe i kâi kău hŭi;

he has experienced his magnanimity; he has received a liberal donation from him.

úa kău thăi i;

I treat him courteously.

i cò̤ sṳ̄ sĭm sĭ kău tău;

he acts very generously.

i seⁿ lâi kău tăng;

he is very stout.

tong-kău;

honest-hearted; faithful.

mīn phûe kău;

brazen-faced; shameless.

thiⁿ-sî chìn, tîeh chēng kău cē;

the weather is cold, you must dress more warmly.

lṳ́ kâi pang àiⁿ ēng jîeh kău kâi?

How thick do you want your boards to be?

khîeh ki kău to̤ khṳ̀ phùa châ;

take a heavy knife and go and split some wood.

tîeh kău lâ chá khí lâi cìaⁿ hó̤ cîah;

you must fry it in plenty of lard then it will be palatable.

tê khah pô̤h, chong kău cē;

the tea is too weak, make it stronger.

úa àiⁿ cò̤ hía kău-kău kâi;

I want a very substantial one made.

pí chṳ́ bô̤ kău pô̤h;

there is no difference in thickness between this and that.

i kẃn-thăi i ío kia-kău;

he treated him more liberally.

kŵn-thăi lṳ́ nŏ̤ nâng bô̤ kău pô̤h;

I treat you two without partiality toward either.

i kìⁿ tîeh chim chêng kău măuⁿ;

when he saw him he received him with great cordiality and deference.

chîeⁿ aìⁿ ceng jîeh kău?

How thick is the wall to be made?

cía sĭ i cêk tn̄g kău ì;

this is his dominant notion.