kai

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See also: Kai, kài, kāi, kǎi, -kai, ka'i, και, καί, and kái

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori kai.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ

Noun

kai (uncountable)

  1. (New Zealand, informal) food
    • 1995, Graeme Williams, The soc.culture.new-zealand FAQ:
      Actually, I'm not sure I like these new hangis using the foil, it tends to stop the juices getting through to the stones and I reckon the hangi kai is drier to the palate.
    • 2003, RK, “Maori TV”, in nz.general (Usenet):
      i.e. they'll spend the first four hours enthusiastic as can be, then get bored, want some kai, go down to the local fish and chip shop & bottle store & spend the rest of the episode telling drunken stories of how they used to steal from the "pakeha that owned the store on the corner" and about days spent down at the social welfare office.
    • 2003, Carmen, “Is there really a censor in NZ?!”, in nz.general (Usenet):
      Got to go now and get some kai.

See also

Anagrams

Chinese

Etymology

From Mandarin 凱子／凯子 (kǎizi).

Pronunciation

Adjective

kai

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) foolish

Noun

kai

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) idiot; fool

Verb

kai

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) to be foolish; to act like an idiot

See also

Estonian

Etymology

From German Kai, from Dutch kaai, from French quai.

Noun

kai (genitive kai, partitive kaid)

  1. quay

Declension

Declension of kai (ÕS type 26/koi, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative kai kaid
accusative nom.
gen. kai
genitive kaide
partitive kaid kaisid
illative kaisse kaidesse
inessive kais kaides
elative kaist kaidest
allative kaile kaidele
adessive kail kaidel
ablative kailt kaidelt
translative kaiks kaideks
terminative kaini kaideni
essive kaina kaidena
abessive kaita kaideta
comitative kaiga kaidega

Faroese

Etymology

Borrowed from Danish kaj, from Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Pronunciation

Noun

kai f (genitive singular kaiar, plural kaiir)

  1. (colloquial) quay

Declension

Declension of kai
f2 singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative kai kaiin kaiir kaiirnar
accusative kai kaiina kaiir kaiirnar
dative kai kaiini kaium kaiunum
genitive kaiar kaiarinnar kaia kaianna

Synonyms

Finnish

Etymology

Probably shortened from kaiketi.

Pronunciation

Adverb

kai

  1. probably, I guess (that) (used to express a possibility or belief of what's going to happen)
    Synonyms: ehkä, kenties, luultavasti, otaksuttavasti, arvatenkin, varmaankin, mahdollisesti, kaiketi
    Tulee kai sade.
    It will probably rain.
    Minun pitää kai lähteä.
    I guess I'll have to go.
    Lasseko tämän rikkoi? -Niin kai.
    Was it Lasse who broke this? -Probably yes.
  2. Used to indicate derision or disbelief.
    Luulisi hänen osaavan. -Kyllä kai!
    One would think he can. -Yes, but I doubt!
    Annas minä autan! -Niin kai, et sinä ole ennenkään auttanut.
    Let me help you! -Bah, you haven't been much of a help so far.
  3. Used as a fortifier, or to confirm.
    Synonyms: toki, tottahan
    Totta kai minä sinua uskon!
    Of course I believe you!
    Kai sinä tämän tiedät!
    You know this, don't you!

Derived terms

Further reading

Anagrams

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese cair. Cognate with Kabuverdianu kai.

Verb

kai

  1. to fall

Hausa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Afroasiatic . Cognates include Mangas ka, Polci kii, Miship ɡɨ.

Pronunciation

Pronoun

kai

  1. you (2nd person singular subject pronoun)

See also

  • mákà (2nd person singular indirect object enclitic pronoun)
  • ká (2nd person singular independent object pronoun)
  • -kà (2nd person singular possessive enclitic pronoun)

Etymology 2

Cognate with Bole kóːʔiː, Galambu kā, Gera ká, Deno kàá, Mangas kaam, Goemai kāː, Polci gaam.

Pronunciation

Noun

kâi m (plural kāwunā̀, possessed form kâin)

  1. head

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *tai (compare with Maori tai), from Proto-Oceanic *tasik, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tasik (compare with Malay tasik).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkai̯/, , (rapid speech)

Noun

kai

  1. sea
    i kai ― towards the sea
    makai ― on the seaside, toward the sea, in the direction of the sea
    o kai ― of the lowland, of the sea, seaward
    nā kānaka o kai ― shore dwellers
  2. salt water
  3. seaside, area near the sea, lowlands
  4. tide, current in the sea
  5. gravy, sauce, dressing, soup, broth

See also

Verb

kai

  1. (stative) to be insipid, brackish, tasteless

Interjection

kai

  1. my, how much!; how very! how terrific!
    kai ka nani! ― how beautiful!
    kai ke kolohe! ― oh, how mischievous!

See also

References

  • Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Japanese

Romanization

kai

  1. Rōmaji transcription of かい

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese cair.

Verb

kai

  1. to fall

Karajá

Pronoun

kai

  1. you, second-person singular pronoun

Usage notes

Derived terms

References

  • Michael Dunn, Gender determined dialect variation, in The Expression of Gender (edited by Greville G. Corbett)
  • David Lee Fortune, Gramática Karajá: um Estudo Preliminar em Forma Transformacional

Khumi Chin

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kay, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ngay. Cognates include Hakka 𠊎 (ngài) and Burmese ငါ (nga).

Pronunciation

Pronoun

kai

  1. I

See also

Khumi Chin personal pronouns
singular plural
1st person kai kaiceL
kaicheI
2nd person nang nangceL
nangcheI
3rd person äni äniceL
änicheI
Varieties of Khumi: L Lemi Chin, I Khimi Chin

References

  • R. Shafer (1944) “Khimi Grammar and Vocabulary”, in Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, volume 11, number 2, page 419
  • K. E. Herr (2011) The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎, Payap University, page 44

Lithuanian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *kai; compare Old Prussian kāi (“when”), Latvian kâ(i) (“when”), Old Church Slavonic цѣ (cě, “and also, besides”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷoy; compare Ancient Greek ποῖ (poî, “whereto”). Perhaps ultimately the locative of Proto-Indo-European *kʷos, kʷis (“question particle”); see kas (“what”). Also, compare with tai (“that”).

Pronunciation

  • (conjunction): IPA(key): /kɐɪˑ/
  • (particle): IPA(key): /kɐɪ/

Conjunction

kaĩ

  1. (in relative clauses) when, while, as

Particle

kai (unstressed)

  1. (in conjunction with interrogative words) some, a certain (suggesting the complement is a known entity, but withheld)
    kai kàs - (a certain) something
    Àš táu kai ką̃ turiù - I have something for you.
    kai kadà - sometimes, in some cases

Derived terms

Related terms

See also

References

  1. ^ Derksen, Rick (2015) Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 217

Livvi

Adverb

kai

  1. all

Mandarin

Romanization

kai

  1. Nonstandard spelling of kāi.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of kǎi.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of kài.

Usage notes

  • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən (compare with Malay makan), from Proto-Austronesian *kaən (compare with Tagalog kain).

Verb

kai (passive form kainga)

  1. to eat (consume)

Noun

kai

  1. food

Related terms

Descendants

  • → English: kai

Middle English

Noun

kai

  1. Alternative form of keye (“key”)

North Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian kēi. Cognates include West Frisian kaai.

Noun

kai m (plural kaier)

  1. (Föhr-Amrum) key

Norwegian Bokmål

Norwegian Bokmål Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nb

Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Noun

kai m or f (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier, definite plural kaiene)

  1. quay, wharf, dock

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk

Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Noun

kai f or m (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier or kaiar, definite plural kaiene or kaiane)

  1. quay, wharf, dock

Derived terms

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Portuguese cair and Spanish caer and Kabuverdianu kai.

Verb

kai

  1. to fall

Derived terms

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Verb

kai

  1. to eat (consume)

Noun

kai

  1. food

Derived terms

Adverb

kai

  1. not

Southeastern Tepehuan

Etymology 1

From Proto-Uto-Aztecan *kapsi.

Noun

kai (plural kaakai)

  1. thigh
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Cognate with Northern Tepehuan káídɨ, O'odham kai.

Noun

kai

  1. seed

Etymology 3

Verb

kai

  1. preterite of kaayaꞌ

References

  • Willett, Elizabeth, et al. (2016) Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 48)‎, electronic edition, Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 100

Sundanese

Romanization

kai

  1. Romanization of ᮊᮄ

Tok Pisin

Etymology

Borrowed from Polynesian, from Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Verb

kai

  1. (transitive) to eat (consume)

Noun

kai

  1. food

See also

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

Verb

kai (plural kakai)

  1. (transitive) to eat
  2. (intransitive) to eat
  3. (fishing, intransitive) to bite

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

Noun

kai

  1. (cricket) run
  2. (cricket) goal, point
  3. (cricket) score

Etymology 3

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Tobanga kai and Nukuoro gai.

Particle

kai

  1. Indicates disapproval and/or dissatisfaction.
  2. Indicates regret that something didn't happen.
Synonyms

References

  • R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎, Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 142

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Pronunciation

Noun

kai

  1. food

Verb

kai

  1. To eat

Derived terms

Tuvaluan

Adverb

kai

  1. ever

Zou

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Verb

kai

  1. (intransitive) to rise, ascend, go up

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Adjective

kái

  1. askew
  2. low

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Verb

kài

  1. (transitive) pull, drag, draw

References

  • Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 63
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