Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

ko

, mod.

just; kind of; similar to; like.
ko a chelutel; ua ingii, chad er a Merikel e mengedecheduch el ko er a chad er a Belau.

ko er a

mod.

kind of; like.

kora

cont.

ko er a

Synonyms: ,

Examples:

Ng ko er a chelitakl er a Siabal.

> It's sort of or like a Japanese song.

Ng ko er a delsachel el dilukai.

> He's quiet and motionless (like a carved doll).

A Droteo a ko el omechela el mesuub.

> Droteo has just begun to study.

A sechelim a ko er a chural a nguis (el beritengetang a chural).

> Your friend speaks with a forked tongue.

Ke ko er a melecholb el terriid.

> You take a shower really fast.

Proverbs:

Ke ko er a rubak er a Ngerechelong el omtab er a bngel er a eabed.

> You're like the old man of Ngerechelong who uses a cloud to mark the location of his fishtrap.

i.e. you depend too much on people who are unreliable.

Ng ko er a killii a derudm el medel a betok el tekoi.

> Like one who has eaten the thorny puffer fish, full of many things.

The thorny puffer fish is sometimes gulped by the wide-mouthed grouper fish. The puffer, expanding and extending its thorns in the grouper's mouth, renders the latter rather "full of things" and completely helpless. Groupers in this predicament are occasionally caught by fishermen. The idiom is applied to anyone who faces more problems, more work, or more sweethearts than he can cope with.

Ng ko er a imekurs el lak el meselsilek er a eolt e ng diak lourodech.

> Like the Bilimbi tree which, if not shaken, will not bear fruit.

Applied to a person who does not fulfill their obligations without constant prodding or nagging.

Ng ko er a meas er a Ngetmeduch, el di ngii el oltak er ngii er a derau.

> He's like the rabbit fish in Ngetmeduch, which jumps into the net (seemingly) of its own will.

i.e. He always drops by without having been invited. At one point in their life cycle the meas, a tasty, black reef fish, school close to the surface in the shallow lagoon near Ngetmeduch (Koror) and may be easily caught with the derau, a two-part net consisting of two scoop nets, one held in each hand (hence sometimes "butterfly net"). The idiom is applied to a person who habitually appears without invitation at parties or feasts.

Ng ko er a uel, el suebek e mekebekabes a ochil.

> Like the purple swamp hen, flying off with its legs hanging down

The purple swamp hen (uek; other sources name another bird, sechou [heron]) is careless about its legs when it flies, letting them dangle in flight instead of neatly tucking them up like other, more trim flyers. The saying applies to persons who do sloppy work or carelessly leave a task half finished

More Examples:

Bai di beches el ouchais el kmo ng chetim el mong e lak ko bong e mouuchel er a rengum.

> Be honest and say you don't want to go instead of going and then regretting it.

Errang, diak el ko er a sebechem remusech a belsiich e domengur?

> Honey, cant you pound some taro so we could eat?

Ke ko er a mo melebedebek er a chomkekerei?

> Do you still remember when you were young?

Ngka el delal a bechik a ko er a telkib el sesmecher.

> My mother in law is a bit under the weather.

Ng ko er a ngodech a debechiil. Ng mla mo diak e di lkau. Ng di uaia lengar er ngii a bereked er kau er a bek el taem.

> It is weird being married. You're not on your own anymore. It's like something is attached to you all the time.

kom
/ko

, pro.

you (nonemphatic, plural).
ko a kemiu; ko mekerang? ko mo er ker e sechelei? ko mla mei!

Examples:

Kom tela el chad el kiei er tia el delengchokl?

> Including yourself how many people live in your household?

Ak ko el mesuba e le ng mla merael a Toki.

> I've finally gotten to study because Toki has left.

Kau, ngara me ke ko er a ouchedeng er kau?

> Why are you doing mischief in you own house?

Ng ko er a osechel a mengur el di ngar er a milkolk el mo er a milkolk.

> It's like coconut juice that goes from the dark (of the inside of coconut) to the dark (of the inside of the drinker's mouth). - i.e. It's a matter kept secret or something whose source and use are unknown.

Kemiu a ko er a mechiuaiu.

> You're not paying any attention (i.e. it's as if you were sleeping).

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a belochel, el mesengei otelochel e suebek.

> Like a pigeon-seeing the danger, yet it flies from cover

The pigeon sits quietly concealed until some threat appears, then it flies out, revealing itself. The idiom applies to a person who unnecessarily exposes himself to danger, leaves the house in the rain, or takes a boat out in a storm.

Ng ko er a chelid er a Ngebuked, el di rirekir er a bab.

> Like the gods of Ngebukd, completed up above.

As part of the festivities of a village feast or in celebration of some event, such as the completion of a community hall, Palauan young people produce a variety of named dances. One type of dance, called ruk, was never conducted in Ngebukd (in Ngaraard, northern Palau). It was said that the gods of the village had done their dancing in heaven before coming to earth and thus it was not necessary for the people of Ngebukd to dance. The saying pertains to a completed task, indicating to another that the work need not be repeated.

Ngika el chad a ko er a debar.

> That man is like a duck.

The native duck, debar, doesn't fly very well, or high like other birds, it doesn't walk or run like some animals, it can't sing well, and it doesn't swim as well as a fish. But it can do all these things. Applied to a person who seemingly can do many different things, none of them expertly. "Jack of all trades."

Ng ko er a ngkelel a iusech el dimengel a medad er ngii

> Like a fish in deep, clear water, eaten only with the eyes.

Fish are not easily caught in clear water. The idiom applies to that which may be admired but not obtained, like an expensive item or another man's beautiful sweetheart.

Ng ko er a kedarm el di metirem e metord.

> He's like the chambered nautilus whose shell is very fragile.

When provoked, he gets easily irritated or angered. The Palauan believes that the chambered nautilus lives in the sea at great depth and, at the slightest touch against a rock, its shell is broken and it drifts to the surface where it dies. The saying may be applied to a poor sport, one who angers easily or who reacts badly when the victim of a prank.

More Examples:

A dillir a rechad er a Sina a ko el mirrael er tia el mlo merek el buil.

> The Chinese ship finally sailed out last month.

Ng ngar er ngii a chull e ng ko er a di chemechemel a olik.

> It's raining here but only lightly.

Kmal meoud a John e a bechil a ko er a belsiochel el cherabrukl el mengiil er ngii.

> John is taking too long and his wife is "like a decorated lobster" waiting for him.

Kom kmal mera el dengerodek el ngalek el mla chidir a chiklel a belochel me ng medei.

> Unruly kids that have twisted the pigeon's neck so it died.

Kom di belsiochel e kemam a ngar er tiang el menga tungd.

> You all are so pretentious and fancy and meanwhile we are just eating scrap.

omesiich

, v.t.

adorn (oneself, something); pretty (oneself) up; decorate; beautify.
omesiich a locha besichel; mesiich; mesichii a skuul; menglebokel, dil a mla mesichii, belsiochel.

ta
/tang

, num.

1 [one] (unit of time; human; counting).
tang a ochur el chimong , ta el buil, ta el tekoi, ta el chad.

tal

cont.

ta el

tara

cont.

ta er a

el di ngak el tang

expr.

alone; by myself.

ko el tang

expr.

the very first time; the first time after a long while.

ngii di el tang

expr.

either one; anything.

ta el chad

expr.

one person; (persons) having same mother or father; (persons) of same blood.

ta el rak

expr.

one year.

ta el sils

expr.

one day.

ta er kemam

expr.

one of our relatives (usually, close); one of us.

ta er ngak

expr.

one of my relatives (usually, close).

ta er tir

expr.

one of them.

Examples:

Te ulemais er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They wandered around in an hour.

Ng ko er a ko el ta el mmermang.

> This is the first time you've been here in ages.

Te oumesingd a rechad el omuchel el me er a ta el klok.

> People tend to start arriving at one o'clock.

Ng cheiko a omekrael er a ta er a cheiko.

> The blind leading the blind.

Ng ko el ta el leme chull.

> It's the first time it's rained in a long while.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a cherellel a beab el di ta e keroker.

> It's like the birth of a rat with one offspring per mother.

It's something that happens just once, something I put up with only once. According to this saying, the rat bears but one litter. Hence the application "once is enough" about an act that bears no repeating.

Ng ta el suk me ng diilut re Meduu.

> A full basket was dropped in Ngeremeduu bay.

From the folk tale about Obak era Kedesau on his way to a feast being given in honor of his wife by her adoptive father. While crossing Ngeremeduu Bay between Ngatpang and Ngeremlengui, Obak dropped a basket of Palauan money overboard. Despite this terrible loss, he still had the courage and sufficient cash to carry off his visit in high style. The saying may be used to reassure someone, following a loss, reminding them that Obak era Kedesau recovered from an even greater loss.

Ng ko er a chelebed er a Utaor, el di ta temetemir

> Like the blow at Utaor, one stroke for all

A person or perhaps a club of the hamlet of Utaor (a hamlet of either Koror or Chol) offended a major village and, in consequence, the village retaliated by attacking the whole hamlet. The idiom applies to any general statement or punishment that might better be directed toward a particular group or individual

Ng cheiko e omekrael er a ta er a cheiko.

> A blind man leading another blind man.

The application is identical to that of the familiar English idiom

Ng kora chebiei el Cheangel, el di ta e chutur a ta el suk.

> Like the breadfruit of Kayangel, just one rotten piece will spoil the whole bunch.

One bad person can ruin the reputation of a whole group. It is said of the Chebiei variety of breadfruit found at Kayangel atoll that one rotten one will spoil others packaged with it. Similar to "One bad apple spoiled the bushel."

More Examples:

Morael el mo er a stoang e mocherar a ta er a malk el mei bo lodoim er a kebesengei.

> Go to the store and buy a chicken for dinner tonight.

Ng di ungil a kumekedong er kau er a ta er a taem?

> Is it OK for me to call you sometime?

Ak mesobil. Ng dirkak a tang me ng bechiil.

> I'm single. I have never been married.

Ak meleng a udoud el diak lengesonges me a lechub lemekesai er a ta el telael.

> I'm borrowing money not less than a thousand dollars.

Ngka el chad a mla mo dengerengel er a ta er a redil.

> This guy is having an affair with another woman.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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