Appendix:Hokkien Swadesh list

This is a Swadesh list of words in Hokkien, compared with definitions in English.

Swadesh list of 207 words in English and Amoy Hokkien, including Pe̍h-ōe-jī and IPA transcription. The Amoy (Xiamen) dialect is referred to as E-mûiⁿ-oe Taiwanese in Taiwan, and Hokkien in rest of the world. The spellings and pronunciations in this list are based on Xiamen speech. All words in Xiamen speech will either match Quanzhou or Zhangzhou spelling and pronunciation. For purposes of clarity, non-Xiamen spellings and pronuciations are not included on this page.

Presentation edit

For further information, including the full final version of the list, read the Wikipedia article: Swadesh list.

American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.

List edit

EnglishHokkien
閩南語闽南语
edit (207)
IPA
1I (1sg) (góa)ɡua⁵³
2you (2sg) ()li⁵³
3he, she, it (3sg) (i)i⁵⁵
4we (1pl) (gún) (exclusive), (lán) (inclusive)ɡun⁵³, lan⁵³
5you (2pl) (lín)lɪn⁵³
6they (3pl)𪜶 (in)in⁵⁵
7this (che), 即個即个 (chit-ê)tse⁵⁵, tɕɪt⁵⁵ e³⁵
8that (he), 彼個彼个 (hit-ê)he⁵⁵, hɪt⁵⁵ e³⁵
9here, (chia)tɕia⁵⁵
10there, (hia)hia⁵⁵
11who啥人 (siáⁿ-lâng), (siáng) (contraction)ɕiã⁵⁵ laŋ³⁵, ɕiaŋ⁵³
12what啥物 (siáⁿ-mih), 甚麼甚么 (sīm-mi̍h), 佗一個佗一个, 叨一個叨一个 (tó-chi̍t-ê) (which)ɕiã⁵⁵ miʔ¹¹, ɕɪm²¹ miʔ⁵⁵, , to⁵⁵ tɕɪt¹¹ e³⁵
13where佗位, 叨位 (tó-ūi)to⁵⁵ ui³³
14when甚麼時陣甚么时阵 (sīm-mi̍h-sî-chūn) (what time), 當時当时 (tang-sî)ɕɪm²¹ miʔ⁵⁵ ɕi³² tsun³³, taŋ³³ ɕi³⁵
15how如何 (jû-hô) (formal), 按怎 (án-chóaⁿ) (informal), 怎樣怎样 (chóanⁿ-iūⁿ) (in what way)dzu²¹ ho³⁵, an⁵⁵ tsuã⁵³, tsuã⁵⁵ liũ³³
16not (put) (literary), () (general negator), , 𣍐𫧃 () (is not able to), , , 勿愛勿爱 (mài) (do not), ()put¹¹, m³³, , be³³, , , mai⁵³, bo³⁵
17all全部 (chôan-pō͘), , (kui), 所有 (só͘-ū) (ex. all cars), (lóng) (ex. they all see it), 攏總拢总 (lóng-chóng) (ex. how many in all?)tsuan²¹ pɔ³³, , kui⁵⁵, sɔ⁵⁵ u³³, lɔŋ⁵³, lɔŋ⁵⁵ tsɔŋ⁵³
18many, 多支 (chōe)tsue³³
19some一寡 (chi̍t-kóa), 幾若個几若个 (kúi-nā-ê)tɕɪt¹¹ kua⁵³, kui⁵⁵ na²¹ e³⁵
20few (chió)tɕio⁵³
21other其他 (kî-thaⁿ), 別的别的 (pa̍t-ê)ki²¹ tʰã⁵⁵, pat¹¹ e³⁵
22one (it, chi̍t)ɪt¹¹, tɕɪt⁵⁵
23two (nn̄g), ()nŋ³³, ʑi³³
24three (saⁿ)sã⁵⁵
25four ()ɕi²¹
26five (ngō)ɡɔ³³
27big (tōa)tua³³
28long (tn̂g)tŋ³⁵
29wide (khoah)kʰuaʔ¹¹
30thick (kāu)kau³³
31heavy (tāng)taŋ³³
32small (sòe)sue²¹
33short ()te⁵³
34narrow (o̍eh)ueʔ⁵⁵
35thin (po̍h)poʔ⁵⁵
36woman女人 (lú-jîn) (formal), 查某 (cha-bó͘) (informal)lu⁵⁵ ʑɪn³⁵, tsa³³ bɔ⁵³
37man (adult male)男人 (lâm-jîn) (formal), 查埔 (cha-po͘) (informal)lam²¹ ʑɪn³⁵, tsa³³ po⁵⁵
38man (human being), (lâng)lang³⁵
39child囝仔, 囡仔 (gín-á) (informal), 兒童儿童 (jî-tông) (formal)ɡɪn⁵⁵ a⁵³, ʑi²¹ tɔŋ³⁵
40wife (bó͘)bɔ⁵³
41husband (ang)aŋ⁵⁵
42mother母親母亲 (bú-chhin) (literary), 老母 (lāu-bú), 媽媽妈妈 (ma-ma), 阿母 (a-bú)bu⁵⁵ tɕʰɪn⁵⁵, lau²¹ bu⁵³, ma³³ ma⁰, a³³ bu⁵³
43father父親父亲 (hū-chhin) (literary), 老爸 (lāu-pē), 爸爸 (pa-pa), 阿爸 (a-pa)hu²¹ tɕʰɪn⁵⁵, lau²¹ pe³³, pa³³ pa⁰, a³³ pa⁵⁵
44animal動物动物 (tōng-bu̍t)tɔŋ²¹ but⁵⁵
45fish ()hi³⁵
46bird (chiáu), 鳥仔鸟仔 (chiáu-á)tɕiau⁵³, tɕiau⁵⁵ a³
47dog (káu), 狗仔 (káu-á)kau⁵³, kau⁵⁵ a⁵³
48louse (sat), 虱母 (sat-bú)sat¹¹, sat⁵⁵ bu⁵³
49snake (chôa)tsua³⁵
50worm (thâng), 土蚓 (tō͘-ún/tō͘-kún) (earthworm)tʰaŋ³⁵, tɔ²¹ un⁵³/kun⁵³
51tree (chhiū), 樹仔树仔 (chhiū-á)tɕʰiu³³, tɕʰiu²¹ a⁵³
52forest森林 (sim-lîm), 樹林树林 (chhiū-nâ)ɕɪm³³ ɪm³⁵, tɕʰiu²¹ na³⁵
53stick樹枝树枝 (chhiū-ki) (tree branch), 枝仔 (ki-á) (informal)tɕʰiu²¹ ki⁵⁵, ki³³ a⁵³
54fruit水果 (chúi-kó), 果子 (kóe-chí)tsui⁵⁵ ko⁵³, kue⁵⁵ tɕi⁵³
55seed種子种子 (chéng-chí)tɕiŋ⁵⁵ tɕi⁵³
56leaf (hio̍h), 葉仔叶仔 (hio̍h-á)hioʔ⁵⁵, hioʔ²¹ a⁵³
57root (kun)kun⁵⁵
58bark (of a tree)樹皮树皮 (chhiū-phê)tɕʰiu²¹ pʰe³⁵
59flower (hoe)hue⁵⁵
60grass (chháu)tsʰau⁵³
61rope (soh), 索仔 (soh-á)soʔ¹¹, soʔ⁵³ a⁵³
62skin (phê), 皮膚皮肤 (phê-hu)pʰe³⁵, pʰe²¹ hu⁵⁵
63meat (bah)baʔ¹¹
64blood (huih), 血液 (hiat-e̍k)huiʔ¹¹, hɪɛt⁵⁵ ɪk⁵⁵
65bone (kut), 骨頭骨头 (kut-thâu)kut¹¹, kut⁵⁵ tʰau³⁵
66fat (noun)脂肪 (chi-hông) (academic), 膩瓤腻瓤 (jī-nn̂g) (colloquial)tɕi³³ hɔŋ³⁵, ʑi²¹ nŋ³⁵
67egg (nn̄g), 雞卵鸡卵 (koe-nn̄g) (chicken egg)nŋ³³, kue³³ nŋ³³
68horn (kak)kak¹¹
69tail (), 尾溜 (bé-liu)be⁵³, be⁵⁵ liu⁵⁵
70feather鳥毛鸟毛 (chiáu-mn̂g)tɕiau⁵⁵ mŋ³⁵
71hair頭毛头毛 (thâu-mn̄g)tʰau²¹ mŋ³⁵
72head (thâu) (affix), 頭殼头壳 (thâu-khak)tʰau³⁵, tʰau²¹ kʰak¹¹
73ear (hīⁿ), 耳仔 (hīⁿ-á), 耳孔 (hīⁿ-khang)hĩ³³, hĩ²¹ a⁵³, hĩ²¹ kʰaŋ⁵⁵
74eye目睭 (ba̍k-chiu)bak¹¹ tɕiu⁵⁵
75nose (phīⁿ), 鼻仔 (phīⁿ-á)pʰĩ³³, pʰĩ²¹ a⁵³
76mouth (chhùi)tsʰui²¹
77tooth嘴齒嘴齿 (chhùi-khí)tsʰui⁵³ kʰi⁵³
78tongue (organ) (chih), 嘴舌 (chhùi-chih)tɕiʔ⁵⁵, tsʰui⁵³ tɕiʔ⁵⁵
79fingernail指甲 (chéng-kah)tɕiŋ⁵⁵ kaʔ¹¹
80foot, (kha)kʰa⁵⁵
81leg (thúi)tʰui⁵³
82knee腳頭窩脚头窝 (kha-thâu-u)kʰa³³ tʰau²¹ u⁵⁵
83hand (chhiú)tɕʰiu⁵³
84wing (e̍k) (literary), , (si̍t), 翅仔, 翼仔 (si̍t-á), 翅股, 翼股 (si̍t-kó͘)ɪk⁵⁵, , ɕɪt⁵⁵, , ɕɪt¹¹ a⁵³, , ɕɪt¹¹ kɔ⁵³
85belly腹肚 (pak-tó͘)pak⁵⁵ tɔ⁵³
86guts腸仔肠仔 (pak-tó͘)pak⁵⁵ tɔ⁵³
87neck頷頸颔颈 (ām-kún)am²¹ kun⁵³
88back尻脊骿 (kha-chiah-phiaⁿ)kʰa³³ tɕiaʔ⁵³ pʰiã⁵⁵
89breast (hiong) (chest (affix)), 胸部 (hiong-pō͘) (chest (academic)), 胸坎 (heng-khám) (chest (generic)), 奶房 (leng-pông) (female organ)hiɔŋ⁵⁵, hiɔŋ³³ pɔ³³, hiŋ³³ kʰam⁵³, liŋ³³ pɔŋ³⁵
90heart心臟心脏 (sim-chōng)ɕɪm³³ tsɔŋ³³
91liver (koaⁿ) (affix), 肝臟肝脏 (koaⁿ-chōng)kuã⁵⁵, kuã³³ tsɔŋ³³
92to drink (lim)lɪm⁵⁵
93to eat (chia̍h)tɕiaʔ⁵⁵
94to bite ()ka³³
95to suck (khip) (affix), (empty) (chi̍p) (sip), (suh) (suck)kʰɪp¹¹, tɕɪp⁵⁵, suʔ¹¹
96to spit (phùi) (generic), 呸瀾呸澜 (phùi-nōa) (lit. “spit saliva”, informal), 呸嘴瀾呸嘴澜 (phùi-chhùi-nōa) (lit. “spit saliva”, informal), 呸痰 (phùi-thâm) (lit. “spit phlegm”, informal)pʰui²¹, pʰui⁵³ nua³³, pʰui⁵³ tsʰui⁵³ nua³³, pʰui⁵³ tʰam³⁵
97to vomit (áu) (informal), (thò͘) (informal), 嘔吐呕吐 (áu-thò͘) (formal)au⁵³, tʰɔ²¹, au⁵⁵ tʰɔ²¹
98to blow (chhe), 𬅫 (pûn)tsʰe⁵⁵, pun³⁵
99to breathe呼吸 (ho͘-khip) (academic, “to respire”), 喘氣喘气 (chhóan-khùi)hɔ³³ kʰɪp¹¹, tsʰuan⁵⁵ kʰui²¹
100to laugh (chhiò)tɕʰio²¹
101to see (khòaⁿ)kʰuã²¹
102to hear (thiaⁿ)tʰiã⁵⁵
103to know (chai), 知影 (chai-iáⁿ), (pat) (to recognise)tsai⁵⁵, tsai³³ iã⁵³, pat¹¹
104to think (siūⁿ)ɕiũ³³
105to smell (phīⁿ)pʰĩ³³
106to fear (kiaⁿ)kiã³³
107to sleep (khùn)kʰun²¹
108to live (o̍ah)uaʔ⁵⁵
109to die ()ɕi⁵³
110to kill (thâi)tʰai³⁵
111to fight冤家 (oan-ke) (argue), 相拍 (sio-phah) (fists), 相刣 (sio-thâi) (war)uan³³ ke⁵⁵, ɕio³³ pʰaʔ¹¹, ɕio³³ tʰa³⁵
112to hunt拍獵拍猎 (phah-la̍h)pʰaʔ⁵³ laʔ⁵⁵
113to hit (phah)pʰaʔ¹¹
114to cut (koah) (cut in two), (chhiat) (slice), (ka) (scissors)kuaʔ¹¹, tɕʰiɛt¹¹, ka⁵⁵
115to split破開破开, 剖開剖开 (phòa-khui) (transitive, split open), 裂開裂开 (liʔ²¹ kʰui⁵⁵) (intransitive, split open), 分開分开 (hun-khui) (split up)pʰua⁵³ kʰui⁵⁵, li̍ʔ²¹ kui⁵⁵, hun³³ kʰui⁵⁵
116to stab (chhì), 𰄞 (chân), (tu̍h)tɕʰi²¹, tsan³⁵, tuʔ⁵⁵
117to scratch ()pe³⁵
118to dig (ó͘, óe, iah), (liú), (ku̍t)ɔ⁵³, ue⁵³, iaʔ¹¹, liu⁵³, kut⁵⁵
119to swim泅水 (siû-chúi)ɕiu²¹ tsui⁵³
120to fly (pe)pe⁵⁵
121to walk (kiâⁿ) (generic), 行路 (kiâⁿ-lō͘) (go on foot (informal)), 步行 (pō͘-hêng) (go on foot (formal)), 步行 (pō͘-kiâⁿ) (go on foot (formal)), 步輦步辇 (pō͘-lián) (go on foot (formal))kiã³⁵, kiã²¹ lɔ³³, pɔ²¹ hiŋ³⁵, pɔ²¹ kiã³⁵, pɔ²¹ lɪɛn⁵³
122to come (lâi)lai³⁵
123to lie (as in a bed) () (horizontal)to⁵³
124to sit (chē)tse³³
125to stand (chām) (affix), , (khiā)tsam³³, , kʰia³³
126to turn (intransitive) (oat) (change direction)uat¹¹
127to fall落落 (lak-lo̍h)lak⁵⁵ lɔʔ⁵⁵
128to give, , (hō͘)hɔ³³
129to hold (the̍h)tʰeʔ⁵⁵
130to squeeze𢯰 (lu̍t)lut⁵⁵
131to rub (loán)luan⁵³
132to wash (sóe)sue⁵³
133to wipe (chhit)tɕʰɪt¹¹
134to pull (khiú, giú)kʰiu⁵³, ɡiu⁵³
135to push (sak)sak¹¹
136to throw (tàn)tan⁵³
137to tie (pa̍k)pak⁵⁵
138to sew (pâng), 𮉢 (thīⁿ)paŋ³⁵, tʰĩ³³
139to count (siàu)ɕiau²¹
140to say (kóŋ)kɔŋ⁵³
141to sing (chhiùⁿ)tɕʰiũ²¹
142to play (sńg), 跮踱, 𨑨迌 (chhit-thô) (intransitive)sŋ⁵³, , tɕʰɪt⁵⁵ tʰo³⁵
143to float (phû)pʰu³⁵
144to flow (lâu)lau³⁵
145to freeze結冰结冰 (kiat-peng)kɪɛt⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵
146to swell膨大 (phòng-tōa)pʰɔŋ⁵³ tua³³
147sun太陽太阳 (thài-iông) (scientific), 日頭日头 (ji̍t-thâu) (informal)tʰai⁵³ iɔŋ³⁵, ʑɪt¹¹ tʰau³⁵
148moon月亮 (ge̍h-niû)ɡeʔ²¹ niu³⁵
149star (chhiⁿ)tɕʰĩ⁵⁵
150water (chùi)tsui⁵³
151rain (hō͘)hɔ³³
152river ()ho³⁵
153lake (ô͘)ɔ³⁵
154sea (hái)hai⁵³
155salt (iâm)iɛm³⁵
156stone (chio̍h) (affix), 石頭石头 (chio̍h-thâu)tɕio⁵⁵, tɕioʔ²¹ tʰau³⁵
157sand (soa)sua⁵⁵
158dust土粉 (thô͘-hún)tʰɔ²¹ hun⁵³
159earth地球 (tē-kiû) (planet)te²¹ kiu³⁵
160cloud (hûn)hun³⁵
161fog ()bu³³
162sky (thiⁿ)tʰĩ⁵⁵
163wind (hong)hɔŋ⁵⁵
164snow (seh)seʔ¹¹
165ice (peng)piŋ⁵⁵
166smoke (hun)hun⁵⁵
167fire ()he⁵³
168ash (he) (ashes or dust), 火灰 (hé-hu)he⁵⁵, he⁵⁵ hu⁵⁵
169to burn (hiâⁿ)hiã³⁵
170road (lō͘)lɔ³³
171mountain (soaⁿ)suã⁵⁵
172red (âng)aŋ³⁵
173green绿 (le̍k), (chhiⁿ)lɪk⁵⁵, tɕʰĩ⁵⁵
174yellow (n̂g)ŋ³⁵
175white (pe̍h)pe⁵⁵
176black ()ɔ⁵⁵
177night暗時暗时 (àm-sî)am⁵³ ɕi³⁵
178day日時日时 (ji̍t-sî)ʑɪt¹¹ ɕi³⁵
179year ()ni³⁵
180warm燒烙烧烙 (sio-lō)ɕio³³ lo³³
181cold (kôaⁿ)kuã³⁵
182full滿 (bóan/móa), , (tīⁿ)buan⁵³, mua⁵³, , tĩ³³
183new (sin)ɕɪn⁵⁵
184old (lāu) (not young), () (not new)lau³³, ku³³
185good ()ho⁵³
186bad (pháiⁿ)pʰaĩ⁵³
187rotten𮩝 (àu), 臭爛臭烂 (chhàu-nōa)au²¹, tsʰau⁵³ nua³³
188dirty垃圾 (lah-sap)laʔ⁵³ sap¹¹
189straight (tit)tɪt⁵⁵
190round (îⁿ)ĩ³⁵
191sharp (as a knife) (lāi)lai³³
192dull (as a knife) (tūn)tun³³
193smooth光滑 (kng-ku̍t)kŋ³³ kut⁵⁵
194wet湿 (sip), (tâm)ɕɪp¹¹, tam³⁵
195dry (ta)ta⁵⁵
196correct (tio̍h) (informal), 正確正确 (chèng-khak) (formal)tioʔ⁵⁵, tɕiŋ⁵³ kʰak¹¹
197near (kūn)kun³³
198far (hn̄g)hŋ³³
199right (chiàⁿ)tɕiã²¹
200left ()to²¹
201at, ()ti³³
202in佇……裡伫……里 (tī… lāi)ti³³… lai³³
203with (kap)kap¹¹
204and (kap)kap¹¹
205if若是 (nā-sī)na²¹ ɕi³³
206because因為因为 (in-ūi)ɪn³³ ui³³
207name (miâ) (affix or generic)miã³⁵

See also edit

Swadesh lists
Individual languages
Language families, family branches, and geographic groupings
Constructed languages
Reconstructed proto-languages
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