This is a Swadesh list of words in Suzhounese, compared with that of English.
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.
Romanisation scheme used is Wugniu. The Suzhounese scheme is still being worked on. Vocabulary and pronunciation based on Middle Generation (中派) Suzhounese.
| № | English | Wu 蘇州閒話／苏州闲话 edit (207) | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | 我 (ngou6), 奴 (nou6) (used in Eastern & Western suburbs and by some older women in Suzhou proper) | ŋəu²³¹, nəu²³¹ |
| 2 | you (2sg) | 倷 (ne6) | ne²³¹ |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | 倷 (ne6), 唔倷 (n1 ne6), 俚倷 (li1 ne6) | ne²³¹, n⁴ nᴇ⁰, li⁴ nᴇ⁰ |
| 4 | we (1pl) | 伲 (gni6), 我伲 (ngou6 gni6) (formal) | ȵi²³¹, ŋəu²³ ȵi¹ |
| 5 | you (2pl) | 俉篤／俉笃 (n6 toq7) | n²³ toʔ¹ |
| 6 | they (3pl) | 俚篤／俚笃 (li1 toq7), 唔篤／唔笃 (n1 toq7) | li⁴ toʔ⁰, n⁴ toʔ⁰ |
| 7 | this | 哀 (e1), 該／该 (ke1), 搿 (geq8) | ᴇ⁴⁴, kᴇ⁴⁴, gəʔ²³ |
| 8 | that | 彎／弯 (ue1), 歸／归 (kue1), 搿 (geq8) | uᴇ⁴⁴, kuᴇ⁴⁴, gəʔ²³ |
| 9 | here | 哀墶／哀垯 (e1 taeq7), 該墶／该垯 (ke1 taeq7), 搿墶／搿垯 (geq8 taeq7) | ᴇ⁴ taʔ⁰, kᴇ⁴ taʔ⁰, ɡəʔ² taʔ³ |
| 10 | there | 彎墶／弯垯 (ue1 taeq7), 歸墶／归垯 (kue1 taeq7), 搿墶／搿垯 (geq8 taeq7) | uᴇ⁴ taʔ⁰, kuᴇ⁴ taʔ⁰, ɡəʔ² taʔ³ |
| 11 | who | 啥人 (sa5 gnin6) | sɑ⁵² ȵin³ |
| 12 | what | 啥 (sa5), 啥個／啥个 (sa5 keq7), 啥物事 (sa5 meq8 sy6) | sɑ⁵²³, sɑ⁵² kəʔ³, sɑ⁵² məʔ³ zɿ⁰ |
| 13 | where | 啥場化／啥场化 (sa5 zan2 ho5), 哪墶／哪垯 (no6/lo6 taeq7) | sɑ⁵² zã³ ho⁰, no²³/lo²³ taʔ¹ |
| 14 | when | 啥辰光 (sa5 zen2 kuaon5) | sɑ⁵² zən³ kuɑ̃⁰ |
| 15 | how | 捺亨 (8naeq-han1), 納哼／纳哼 (naeq8 han1), 檸／柠 (nan6) | naʔ² hã⁵¹, nã²³¹ |
| 16 | not | 弗 (feq7) | fəʔ⁴³ |
| 17 | all | 一搨括子／一拓括子 (iq7 thaeq7 kuaeq7 tsy3), 全部 (zi2 bu6), 儕／侪 (ze2) | iəʔ⁴ tʰaʔ⁴ kuaʔ² tsɿ⁰, zi² bu³, zᴇ²²³ |
| 18 | many | 交關／交关 (ciau1 kue1), 多 (tou1) | tɕiæ⁴ kuᴇ⁰, təu⁴⁴ |
| 19 | some | 一點／一点 (iq7 tie3), 一星 (iq7 sin1) | iəʔ⁵ tɪ⁵¹, iəʔ⁴ sin⁴ |
| 20 | few | 少 (sau3) | sæ⁵¹ |
| 21 | other | 其他 (ji2 tha1), 別個／别个 (beq8 keq7) | dʑi² tʰɑ³, bəʔ³ kəʔ⁴ |
| 22 | one | 一 (iq7) | iəʔ⁴³ |
| 23 | two | 兩／两 (lian6), 二 (gni6) | liã²³¹, ȵi²³¹ |
| 24 | three | 三 (se1) | sᴇ⁴⁴ |
| 25 | four | 四 (sy5) | sɿ⁵²³ |
| 26 | five | 五 (ng6) | ŋ²³¹ |
| 27 | big | 大 (dou6) | dəu²³¹ |
| 28 | long | 長／长 (zan6) | zã²²³ |
| 29 | wide | 闊／阔 (khueq7) | kʰuəʔ⁴³ |
| 30 | thick | 厚 (gheu6) | ɦøʏ²³¹ |
| 31 | heavy | 重 (zon2) | zoŋ²²³ |
| 32 | small | 小 (siau3) | siæ⁵¹ |
| 33 | short | 短 (toe3) (of person or thing), 矮 (a3) (of person) | tø⁵¹, ɑ⁵¹ |
| 34 | narrow | 狹／狭 (ghaq8) | ɦaʔ²³ |
| 35 | thin | 薄 (boq8) | boʔ²³ |
| 36 | woman | 女人 (gniu6 gnin2) | ȵy² ȵin³ |
| 37 | man (adult male) | 男人 (noe2 gnin2) | nø² ȵin³ |
| 38 | man (human being) | 人 (gnin2) | ȵin²²³ |
| 39 | child | 小干兒 (siau3 koe1 ng6), 小囡 (siau3 noe1) | siæ⁵² kø³ ŋ⁰, siæ⁵² nø³ |
| 40 | wife | 家小 (ka1 siau3), 家主婆 (ka1 tsyu3 bu2) | kɑ⁴ siæ⁰, kɑ⁴ tsʮ⁴ bu⁰ |
| 41 | husband | 男人 (noe2 gnin2) (city center; some northern villages), 男客 (noe2 khaq7) (rest of northern, eastern and western villages), 家公 (ka1 kon1) (most southern villages) | nø² ȵin³, nø² kʰɑʔ³, kɑ⁴ kon⁰ |
| 42 | mother | 媽媽／妈妈 (ma1 ma1), 姆媽／姆妈 (m1 ma1), 娘 (gnian2) (direct/indirect), 母親／母亲 (mo1 tshin1) (formal) | mɑ⁴ mɑ⁰, m⁴ mɑ⁰, ȵiã²²³, mo⁴ tsʰin⁰ |
| 43 | father | 爸爸 (pa1 pa1), 爹爹 (tia1 tia1), 爺／爷 (ya2) (direct/indirect), 父親／父亲 (vu6 tshin1) (formal) | pɑ⁴ pɑ⁰, tiɑ⁴ tiɑ⁰, ɦia²²³, vu² tsʰin³ |
| 44 | animal | 動物／动物 (don6 veq8) | doŋ² vəʔ³ |
| 45 | fish | 魚／鱼 (ng6) | ŋ²³¹ |
| 46 | bird | 鳥／鸟 (tiau3) | tiæ⁵¹ |
| 47 | dog | 狗 (keu3) | køʏ⁵¹ |
| 48 | louse | 白蝨／白虱 (baq8 seq7) | bɑʔ³ səʔ⁴ |
| 49 | snake | 蛇 (zo2) | zo²²³ |
| 50 | worm | 蟲／虫 (zon2) | zoŋ²²³ |
| 51 | tree | 樹／树 (zyu6) | zʮ²³¹ |
| 52 | forest | 森林 (sen1 lin2) | sən⁴ lin⁰ |
| 53 | stick | 棒頭／棒头 (baon6 deu2) | bɑ̃²³ døʏ¹ |
| 54 | fruit | 水果 (syu3 kou3) | sʮ⁵ kəu¹ |
| 55 | seed | 籽 (tsy3), 種子／种子 (tson3 tsy3) | tsɿ⁵¹, tson⁵ tsɿ¹ |
| 56 | leaf | 葉子／叶子 (yiq8 tsy3) | ɦiəʔ³ tsɿ⁴ |
| 57 | root | 根 (ken1) | kən⁴⁴ |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | 樹皮／树皮 (zyu6 bi2) | zʮ²³ bi¹ |
| 59 | flower | 花 (ho1) | ho⁴⁴ |
| 60 | grass | 草 (tshau3) | tsʰæ⁵¹ |
| 61 | rope | 繩／绳 (zen2) | zən²²³ |
| 62 | skin | 皮膚／皮肤 (bi2 fu1) | bi² fu³ |
| 63 | meat | 肉 (gnioq8) | ȵioʔ²³ |
| 64 | blood | 血 (shiuq7) | ɕyəʔ⁴³ |
| 65 | bone | 骨頭／骨头 (kueq7 deu2) | kuəʔ⁵ døʏ⁵²³ |
| 66 | fat (noun) | 脂肪 (tsy1 faon5) | tsɿ⁴ fɑ̃⁰ |
| 67 | egg | 蛋 (de6) | dᴇ²³¹ |
| 68 | horn | 角 (koq7) | koʔ⁴³ |
| 69 | tail | 尾巴 (gni6 po1) | ȵi² po³ |
| 70 | feather | 羽毛 (iu1 mau2) | y⁴ mæ⁰ |
| 71 | hair | 頭髮／头发 (deu2 faeq7) (on head), 毛 (mau2) (body hair of person/fur of animal) | døʏ² faʔ³, mæ²²³ |
| 72 | head | 頭／头 (deu2) | døʏ²²³ |
| 73 | ear | 耳朵 (gni6 tou3) | ȵi² təu³ |
| 74 | eye | 眼睛 (nge2 tsin1) | ŋᴇ² tsin³ |
| 75 | nose | 鼻頭／鼻头 (beq8 deu6) | bəʔ³ døʏ⁴ |
| 76 | mouth | 嘴 (tsyu3) | tsʮ⁵¹ |
| 77 | tooth | 牙子 (nga2 tsy3) | ŋɑ² tsɿ³ |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | 舌頭／舌头 (zeq8 deu2) | zəʔ³ døʏ⁴ |
| 79 | fingernail | 節掐子／节掐子 (tsiq7 khaeq7 tsy3) | tsiəʔ⁴ kʰaʔ⁴ tsɿ⁰ |
| 80 | foot | 腳／脚 (ciaq7) | tɕiɑʔ⁴³ |
| 81 | leg | 髈／膀 (phaon3), 腳／脚 (ciaq7) | pʰɑ̃⁵¹, tɕiɑʔ⁴³ |
| 82 | knee | 膝饅頭／膝馒头 (siq7 moe2 deu2), 腳饅頭／脚馒头 (ciaq7 moe2 deu2) | siəʔ⁴ mø⁴ døʏ⁰, tɕiɑʔ⁴ mø⁴ døʏ⁰ |
| 83 | hand | 手 (seu3) | søʏ⁵¹ |
| 84 | wing | 翨𦑜 (ci5 kaeq7) | tɕi⁴ kaʔ⁰ |
| 85 | belly | 肚皮 (dou6 bi2) | dəu² bi³ |
| 86 | guts | 肚腸／肚肠 (du6 zan2) | dǝu² zã³ |
| 87 | neck | 頭頸／头颈 (deu2 cin3) | døʏ² tɕin³ |
| 88 | back | 背 (pe5) | pᴇ⁵²³ |
| 89 | breast | 胸 (shion1) | ɕioŋ⁴⁴ |
| 90 | heart | 心 (sin1) | sin⁴⁴ |
| 91 | liver | 肝 (koe1) | kø⁴⁴ |
| 92 | to drink | 呷 (haeq7), 吃 (chiq7) | haʔ⁴³, tɕʰiəʔ⁴³ |
| 93 | to eat | 吃 (chiq7) | tɕʰiəʔ⁴³ |
| 94 | to bite | 咬 (ngau6) | ŋæ²³¹ |
| 95 | to suck | 嗍 (soq7) | soʔ⁴³ |
| 96 | to spit | 吐 (thou3) | tʰǝu⁵¹ |
| 97 | to vomit | 嘔／呕 (eu3) | øʏ⁵¹ |
| 98 | to blow | 吹 (tshyu1) | tsʰʮ⁴⁴ |
| 99 | to breathe | 呼吸 (hou1 shiq7) | həu⁴ ɕiəʔ⁰ |
| 100 | to laugh | 笑 (siau5) | siæ⁵²³ |
| 101 | to see | 看 (khoe5) | kʰø⁵²³ |
| 102 | to hear | 聽／听 (thin3) | tʰin⁵¹ |
| 103 | to know | 曉得／晓得 (shiau3 teq7) | ɕiæ⁵² təʔ³ |
| 104 | to think | 想 (sian3) | siã⁵¹ |
| 105 | to smell | 聞／闻 (men2) | mən²²³ |
| 106 | to fear | 怕 (pho5), 嚇／吓 (haeq7) | pʰo⁵²³, haʔ⁴³ |
| 107 | to sleep | 睏／困 (khuen5) | kʰuən⁵²³ |
| 108 | to live | 活 (weq8) | ɦuəʔ²³ |
| 109 | to die | 死 (si3) | si⁵¹ |
| 110 | to kill | 殺／杀 (saeq7) | saʔ⁴³ |
| 111 | to fight | 相打 (sian1 tan3), 打相打 (tan3 sian1 tan3) | siã⁴ tã⁰, tã⁵² siã³ tã⁰ |
| 112 | to hunt | 打獵／打猎 (tan3 laeq8) | tã⁵² laʔ³ |
| 113 | to hit | 打 (tan3), 敲 (khau1) | tã⁵¹, kʰæ⁴⁴ |
| 114 | to cut | 斬／斩 (tse1), 剪 (tsie3) (with scissors) | tse⁴⁴, tsɪ⁵¹ |
| 115 | to split | 分 (fen1) | fǝn⁴⁴ |
| 116 | to stab | 戳 (tshoq7) | tsʰoʔ⁴³ |
| 117 | to scratch | 抓 (tsau1) | tsæ⁴⁴ |
| 118 | to dig | 挖 (uaeq7) | uaʔ⁴³ |
| 119 | to swim | 游泳 (yeu2 ion3) | ɦʏ² ioŋ³ |
| 120 | to fly | 飛／飞 (fi1) | fi⁴⁴ |
| 121 | to walk | 走 (tseu3) | tsøʏ⁵¹ |
| 122 | to come | 來／来 (le2) | lᴇ²²³ |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | 躺 (thaon3), 橫／横 (wan2) | tʰɑ̃⁵¹, ɦuã²²³ |
| 124 | to sit | 坐 (zou6) | zǝu²³¹ |
| 125 | to stand | 立 (liq8) | liəʔ²³ |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | 轉／转 (tsoe5) | tsø⁵²³ |
| 127 | to fall | 落 (loq8) | loʔ²³ |
| 128 | to give | 撥／拨 (peq7) | pəʔ⁴³ |
| 129 | to hold | 拿 (no2) | no²²³ |
| 130 | to squeeze | 捘 (tsen3) | tsǝn⁵¹ |
| 131 | to rub | 婆 (bu2), 挪 (nou2) | bu²²³, nəu²²³ |
| 132 | to wash | 汏 (da6) | dɑ²³¹ |
| 133 | to wipe | 揩 (kha1) | kʰɑ⁴⁴ |
| 134 | to pull | 拉 (la1) | lɑ⁴⁴ |
| 135 | to push | 推 (the1) | tʰᴇ⁴⁴ |
| 136 | to throw | 摜／掼 (gue6) | ɡuᴇ²³¹ |
| 137 | to tie | 綁／绑 (paon3) | pɑ̃⁵¹ |
| 138 | to sew | 縫／缝 (von2) | voŋ²²³ |
| 139 | to count | 數／数 (sou3) | səu⁵¹ |
| 140 | to say | 講／讲 (kaon3) | kɑ̃⁵¹ |
| 141 | to sing | 唱 (tshaon5) | tsʰɑ̃⁵²³ |
| 142 | to play | 孛相 (8beq-shian), 白相 (beq8 sian5) | bəʔ² siã⁵¹ |
| 143 | to float | 浮 (vu2) | vu²²³ |
| 144 | to flow | 漂 (phiau1) | pʰiæ⁴⁴ |
| 145 | to freeze | 凍／冻 (ton5) | toŋ⁵²³ |
| 146 | to swell | 脹／胀 (tsan5) | tsã⁵²³ |
| 147 | sun | 太陽／太阳 (tha5 yan2) | tʰɑ⁴ ɦiã⁰ |
| 148 | moon | 月亮 (ngeq8 lian6) (urban and southern Suzhou), 亮月 (lian6 ngeq8) (eastern, western, northern suburbs) | ŋəʔ³ liã⁴, liã² ŋəʔ³ |
| 149 | star | 星 (sin1), 星星 (sin1 sin1) | sin⁴⁴, sin⁴ sin⁰ |
| 150 | water | 水 (syu3), 茶 (zo2) (drinking water) | sʮ⁵¹, zo²²³ |
| 151 | rain | 雨 (yu6) | ɦy²³¹ |
| 152 | river | 河 (ghou2), 浜 (pan1) (little river) | ɦəu²²³, pã⁴⁴ |
| 153 | lake | 湖 (ghou6) | ɦəu²²¹ |
| 154 | sea | 海 (he3) | hᴇ⁵¹ |
| 155 | salt | 鹽／盐 (ye2) | ɦɪ²²³ |
| 156 | stone | 石頭／石头 (zaq8 deu2) | zɑʔ² døʏ⁵¹ |
| 157 | sand | 沙 (so1), 河沙 (ghou2 so1) | so⁴⁴, ɦəu² so³ |
| 158 | dust | 灰塵／灰尘 (hue1 zen2) | huᴇ⁴ zən⁰ |
| 159 | earth | 爛泥／烂泥 (le6 gni2) | lᴇ² ȵi³ |
| 160 | cloud | 雲／云 (yun2) | ɦyn²²³ |
| 161 | fog | 迷露 (mi2 lou6) | mi² lǝu³ |
| 162 | sky | 天 (thie1) | tʰɪ⁴⁴ |
| 163 | wind | 風／风 (fon1) | foŋ⁴⁴ |
| 164 | snow | 雪 (siq7) | siəʔ⁴³ |
| 165 | ice | 冰 (pin1) | pin⁴⁴ |
| 166 | smoke | 煙／烟 (ie1) | ɪ⁴⁴ |
| 167 | fire | 火 (hou3) | həu⁵¹ |
| 168 | ash | 灰 (hue1) | huᴇ⁴⁴ |
| 169 | to burn | 燒／烧 (sau1) | sæ⁴⁴ |
| 170 | road | 路 (lou6) | ləu¹¹³ |
| 171 | mountain | 山 (se1) | se⁴⁴ |
| 172 | red | 紅／红 (ghon2) | ɦoŋ²²³ |
| 173 | green | 綠／绿 (loq8) | loʔ²³ |
| 174 | yellow | 黃／黄 (waon2) | ɦuɑ̃²²³ |
| 175 | white | 白 (baq8) | bɑʔ²³ |
| 176 | black | 黑 (heq7) | həʔ⁴³ |
| 177 | night | 夜裏／夜里 (ia1 li6), 夜裏向／夜里向 (ia1 li6 shian5) | iɑ⁴ li⁰, iɑ⁴ li⁴ ɕiã⁰ |
| 178 | day | 日裏／日里 (gniq8 li6), 日裏向／日里向 (gniq8 li6 shian5) | ȵiəʔ² li⁵¹, ȵiəʔ² li⁵¹ ɕiã⁰ |
| 179 | year | 年 (gnie2) | ȵɪ²²³ |
| 180 | warm | 暖熱／暖热 (noe2 gniq8), 溫／温 (uen1) (warm to the touch) | nø² ȵiǝʔ³, uǝn⁴⁴ |
| 181 | cold | 冷 (lan6) | lã²³¹ |
| 182 | full | 滿／满 (moe6) (filled), 飽／饱 (pau3) (having eaten) | mø²³¹, pæ⁵¹ |
| 183 | new | 新 (sin1) | sin⁴⁴ |
| 184 | old | 舊／旧 (jieu6) (not new), 老 (lau6) (of high age) | dʑʏ²³¹, læ²³¹ |
| 185 | good | 好 (hau3) | hæ⁵¹ |
| 186 | bad | 壞／坏 (wa6/ua5 (old fashioned)), 恘 (chieu1) | ɦuɑ²³¹/uɑ⁵²³, tɕʰʏ⁴⁴ |
| 187 | rotten | 爛／烂 (le6) | lᴇ²³¹ |
| 188 | dirty | 齷齪／龌龊 (oq7 tshoq7) | oʔ⁴ tsʰoʔ⁴ |
| 189 | straight | 直 (zeq8) | zəʔ²³ |
| 190 | round | 圓／圆 (yoe2) | ɦiø²²³ |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | 快 (khua5) | kʰuɑ⁵²³ |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | 鈍／钝 (den6) | dən²³¹ |
| 193 | smooth | 光 (kuaon1) | kuɑ̃⁴⁴ |
| 194 | wet | 潮 (zau2), 濕／湿 (seq7) | zæ²²³, səʔ⁴³ |
| 195 | dry | 乾／干 (koe1) | kø⁴⁴ |
| 196 | correct | 對／对 (te5) | tᴇ⁵²³ |
| 197 | near | 近 (jin6) | dʑin²³¹ |
| 198 | far | 遠／远 (yoe6) | ɦiø²³¹ |
| 199 | right | 右 (yoe6) | ɦʏ²³¹ |
| 200 | left | 左 (tsou3) | tsəu⁵¹ |
| 201 | at | 勒 (leq8), 勒裏／勒里 (leq8 li6) (proximal), 勒浪 (leq8 laon6) (proximal), 勒篤／勒笃 (leq6 toq7) (distal), 勒海 (leq8 he5) (distal) | ləʔ²³, ləʔ² li⁵¹, ləʔ² lɑ̃⁵, ləʔ³ toʔ⁴, ləʔ² hᴇ⁵¹ |
| 202 | in | 裏面／里面 (li6 mi6), 裏向／里向 (li6 shian5), 裏／里 (li6) | li² mɪ³, li² ɕiã³, li²³¹ |
| 203 | with | 搭 (taeq7) | taʔ⁴³ |
| 204 | and | 搭 (taeq7), 搭仔 (taeq7 tsy3) | taʔ⁴³, taʔ⁵ tsɿ⁵¹ |
| 205 | if | 假使 (ka5 sy3), 如果 (zyu2 kou3) | kɑ⁵² sɿ³, zʮ² kǝu³ |
| 206 | because | 因為／因为 (in1 we6) | in⁴ ɦuᴇ⁰ |
| 207 | name | 名字 (min2 zy6) | min² zɿ³ |