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 el ta el leme chull.

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

Tia el party er a Tokia a ko er a omenga el Raus, el sosokod e di keang.

> Toki's party was just getting interesting when it ended.

Ng ko er a chemaidechedui.

> He's very good at climbing./He's always beating around the bush.

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.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a chad er a Ngerechelong, el di bita el mo dechor er a debsel a lei.

> Like the people of Ngerechelong, standing together on the base of the coconut tree.

The mound or hump that forms at the base of the coconut tree is said to represent the highest ranking village clan. The leader of that clan is spoken of as "standing on the mound." In the idiom, it is suggested that the people of Ngerechelong (northern Palau) would all like to be leaders-all standing on the mound at the same time. The idiom may be applied where too many people try to direct an operation; too many leaders.

Ke ko er a okared el di ngii el melul er ngii er a ngau.

> You're like a stinkbug that burns itself in the fire.

i.e., you get involved in things that may hurt you.

Ke ko er a bisech er a bai el dechor er a rebai e diak dousbech er ngii.

> You're like the bisech plant in the backyard which has no purpose.

A person who isn't trusted so he/she is not needed.

Ng ko er a meiko er a Tmel, el di mengereel el olsiu er ngii er a ngau.

> Like the blind man of Ngetmel, twisting twine into the fire.

The image is that of a blind elder, warming his frail body beside the fire while twisting strands of fiber into twine against his thigh. Only as he pulls the finished twine away, he pushes it into the flames. The saying may be applied to any utterly pointless activity or dissipation of wealth.

Ng ko er a Beachedarsai el di telkib, e diak bo lak

> Like Beachedarsai's food, only a little but it does not disappear.

Beachedarsai and a friend, one day, went to heaven. On arrival they were very hungry, so they visited one of the gods who provided food for them. The "food" was one tiny piece of taro and a bit of fish. Beachedarsai thought to himself that this would hardly suffice, but he picked up the taro and ate it. As he did so another piece appeared on the plate. He ate the piece of fish and another piece of fish appeared. His friend also ate and on his plate as well a new piece of taro or fish appeared as each was consumed. When they were satisfied, there remained on their plates a piece of taro and fish. The idiom is applied to any small blessing, such as a small but steady income, or Western meals that, in contrast with the Palauan tray full of food, are served in small portions, and so on.

More Examples:

Ke mera el ko er a aika el bidabd el diak a bo tab er ngii.

> You're like the jellyfish that do not have a destination.

Aika bilem el ilengkai e le ke ko er a nguis el ullengui.

> Your clothes are piled up like you're a snake shedding its skin.

Ng ko er a ngodech a debechiil.

> It's strange to be married.

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

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

Ng diak. Ng bai ko er a di chetelaol.

> No. He or she only feels dizzy.

kom
/ko

, pro.

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

Examples:

A Droteo a ko el mocha er a Guam.

> Droteo should just be arriving in Guam.

Kom ngar er a titai?

> Are you going by car?

Ke ko er a melecholb el terriid.

> You take a shower really fast.

Ke ko er a kiuid.

> You're like a starling (i.e. you do something undesirable and later deny it or make excuses about it).

Ng ko er a chemaidechedui.

> He's very good at climbing./He's always beating around the bush.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a menga a blelekl.

> It's like eating reboiled (starchy) food.

Cooked taro will spoil in time, unless it is reboiled (blelekl). Among other applications the saying may pertain to a man who marries, separates, then returns to the same woman; also a man who returns to a former job.

Ng ko er a omelechong er a diong er a Tellei: Lolecholb a chad e ke mekerasem.

> It's like taking a shower at Tellei's bath, when somebody takes a shower, you shiver from the cold.

Someone's actions makes you embarrassed.

Ng ko er a chelatngikl el diak lebeldakl oltellel e dingemuu.

> Like the honey bee, celebrating without first boiling down the coconut syrup.

Once coconut syrup, dripping from the cut flower stem, is collected it is thickened by boiling. The honeybee, however, collects his nectar, puts it in the hive without boiling it, then proceeds to fly around noisily as though celebrating the completed task. Hence, to talk or boast loudly about successes and accomplishments when one has none; to make plans but never carry them out; to celebrate without cause.

Ng ko er a kaldos, el choitii a telemall e omkar er a mechubs.

> Like kaldos, putting medicine on a well place, rather than the injury.

Kaldos is a medical treatment, said by some to have been learned from the Germans, in which medicine is applied to a parallel member of an injured part in a way that is supposed to transfer pain to an uninjured place. The idiom is applied to a decision or action that completely misses the point or problem.

Ng ko er a mud er a Bngei, el di melecheb er a rrengor.

> Like the mud fish of the Bngei lagoon, drawn to the passing wind

The reef fish mud seldom leaves a given rock or cleft in the reef, but according to this saying the mud of Bngei lagoon, near Airai, may be attracted away from their locus by the dust raised by a passing school of fish. The latter portion of this proverb is difficult to translate. The word melecheb may be applied to a person drawn forward by a current of water. Rrengor refers to a movement of air caused by one body passing another. The idiom is applied to a changeable person, a faddist, or a joiner

More Examples:

Ko er a kbong me tir a kmo dorael.

> As soon as I went they said let's go.

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.

Aika bilem el ilengkai e le ke ko er a nguis el ullengui.

> Your clothes are piled up like you're a snake shedding its skin.

Locha sebeched el kmo te ko er a aika el iwashi diak a bdelul e seluk er a beached.

> We can say they're like sardines without heads in a can.

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

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

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:

Ng kmal di mle ta a klungiolel el mlai.

> They were all canoes of equivalent quality.

Ng cheiko a omekrael er a ta er a cheiko.

> The blind leading the blind.

Te mlo merek el mengedub er a chelsel a ta el sikang a resechelik.

> My friends finished swimming in an hour.

Te miltik a bresengt er tir er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They found their presents in an hour.

Ng ko er a ko el ta el mmermang.

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

Proverbs:

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."

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 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.

More Examples:

Ak mo mesab er a ta er a blungek. Ng kmal klou a omesab er chelechang.

> I'm going to harvest one of my taro square. It is now big harvest season time.

A delak a milsa ta er a bekerkard el techel a til.

> My mom gave him a piece of Palauan money for his wallet.

Me ta er a taod

> Please give me a fork

Ak oureng er a ta er a taem el mo sebeched el kasoues.

> I only wish that we will see each other in the future.

Rungalek, ka bo mocheuir a ta er a taxi el mei me lotekak el mo er a bdelul a chang.

> My child, go hail me a taxi cab so that I can take it to the dock.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

Search for another word: