Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

bad

, n.

stone; rock; coral; crossbeams supporting floor or house.
bad a medecherecher el klalo, risois, baderitech, badelchei, mlus, basech, badumoachel. A rebebil er a rechad uluusbech a bad. Aika el bad a meklou el ngai el mo locha er a ulebengelel a ta me a ta er a rechad el oliochel.

beduk

n.poss.1s

bedum

n.poss.2s

bedul

n.poss.3s

his/her/its stone; rock; coral; crossbeams supporting floor or house.

bedemam

n.poss.1pe

bedud

n.poss.1pi

bedemiu

n.poss.2p

bederir

n.poss.3p

bad el chelid

expr.

type of trepang (colored like coral).

See also: ,

Examples:

A Droteo a melecholb er a bedul.

> Droteo is bathing upstream.

Ng kedorem a ngii di el bad?

> Is there a sharp stone? Is any stone sharp?

Ng kedorem se el bad.

> That stone is sharp.

A Toki a rirurt el bedul a skuul.

> Toki ran in the direction of the school.

A resechal a rengrir a bad.

> xx.

Proverbs:

A resechal a reng er tir bad.

> The male heart is like stone.

The true man or leader has a strong, unwavering character. His decisions are firm and unchanging.

Ng meredem er oiaol bedul ngii.

> Attaching the drain spout to oneself.

Pertains to favoritism, the adjustment of the flow of favors from the leader to one-self. It is considered unsporting and in poor taste to seek favoritism through undue support of a leader in direct anticipation of favors.

A eolt a bad er a cheskiik.

> The wind sleeps in the eskiik bush.

Around March the wind quiets at about dusk and begins to pick up the next morning. During the night the wind is said to sleep in the eskiik, a small shrub common on the hills of Palau. A quiet night is appropriate in the Palauan view because economically important fruit trees, such as breadfruit, are setting their buds at this time. This period of budding is thought to be analogous to the second or third month of human pregnancy, when exertion or shock may precipitate a miscarriage. If the winds blow strong at night during this time, elders note that the season will be poor as far as fruit harvest is concerned. The eskiik bush, where the wind sleeps, has a characteristic bad odor said to be caused by the wind performing its "natural functions."

More Examples:

Ak merael el bedul a dimes.

> I'll be going due south.

A Yigo a ngar er a mo bedul a diluches.

> Yigo is located on the north side of the island.

A dechor er a kederang e omes el bedul ngeuaol.

> Standing on the beach looking out towards the open ocean and the horizon.

Ak mlo ubuu er a cheldukl bad el mengii a bdeluk.

> I fell on the stone path and cracked my head.

Ngar er a mo bedul ker a Yigo?

> Which direction is Yigo located on the map?

bertachel

, n.

coconut which falls as soon as it is touched; buttocks.
bertachel a ta er a bedengel a lius, "leko kerdi mertechii a chelechedal e a mengur a ruebet".

chad

, n.

man; person; human being; living being; someone; somebody; anyone; anybody.
chad a rokui el diak lulekoad el klaol; chad el dait; chad el babii; chad el ngikel; chad el lius. chad a sechal, dil, redil, ngalek, chad er a Belau, chad er a Merikel.

chedak

n.poss.1s

chedam

n.poss.2s

your (singular) relative.

chedal

n.poss.3s

his or her person or relative.
chedal a kmeed er ngii el chad, kauchad, Calista a chedal a Toni.

chedemam

n.poss.1pe

chedad

n.poss.1pi

our (inclusive) relative.

chedemiu

n.poss.2p

chederir

n.poss.3p

chad

v.s.

alive; living.

chedengang

v.s.inch.

becoming alive; reviving.
chedengang a sobelang er a kodall mesisichang, dikea le mad.

chad er a daob

expr.

person knowledgeable about the sea.

chad er a government

expr.

government employee.

chad er a moros

expr.

barbarian; cannibal.

chad er a reng

expr.

considerate person.

chedal a chelid

expr.

person having religion; believer.

chedal a ochil

expr.

lap; upper thigh.

mo chad

expr.

become alive; come to life.

See also:

Examples:

A Melii a melemed a tebelir tirke el chad.

> Melii is wiping off those people's tables.

E ng di ngike el chad el oumera er ngii a diak bo lemoalech a rengul.

> But those who have faith in that one will never be disappointed.

Ng diak a ngii di el chad el me er tiang.

> No one is to come here./No trespassing.

A reungil el chad a ungil a rengrir, er se el leseterir a remekngit el obals.

> Good people are glad, when they see the wicked punished.

Kau a kmal diak momekerreu er a remeklou el chad.

> You really don't obey your elders.

Proverbs:

Mengoit a chedal a Ngetkeuang.

> Disposing the group at Ngetkeuang.

The saying pertains to a situation that occurred at Ngetkeuang, a hamlet in Peleliu. Some members of a group about to sail north were already at the docks ready to board their canoes and set sail with a good strong wind from the south, slightly at an angle to the course they would follow and ideal for sailing. Impatient, the group at the dock finally left the remainder behind and the wind was so strong that they were soon well on their way. The phrase is applied to a wind that is strong, steady, and from the south, like a steady "tradewind"

Ng kmes a usekerel el chad

> A man whose breechcloth is closed

A well-organized man, particularly one who uses his money carefully; hence, sometimes, a stingy person.

Ng ko er a chad er a Ngerechemai, el metom er a uel el metom er a mlai.

> Like the man of Ngerechemai, who lost his turtle and lost his canoe.

Relates to a fisherman who jumped from his canoe to catch a turtle only to find that his canoe had drifted beyond recovery. Applies to any situation where a person fails at a task, or, aptly, to a situation where a man, through his own foolishness, loses both his wife and his mistress.

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.

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.

More Examples:

A urerel a chad er a omeruul el kall a meruul a kelir a rengalek er a skuul.

> The job of a cook is to make the food.

Ng mo er ngii a kemeldiil er a chad er a oingerang?

> When is his/her funeral?

Mosischeklii a ngelekem el dongmesii me lesebechel dongmesii a ta er a chad.

> Teach your child to respect themselves so that they can respect others.

Ng mla er ngii a teluchel el mlai er a bita er a did. Dimlak a metemall el chad.

> There was a crash by the bridge. Nobody got hurt.

Ng ua techa ngikal el chad?

> What is this person like?

chelid

, n.

god; deity; spirit; sacred object (about which some prohibition is made); center.
chelid a bladek, betok el kakerous, ochao a chelid er a Ngchesar, Ngirabeliliou a chelid er a Beliliou, oumesingd el beluu a di ngar er ngii a chedul.

Chedul

n.poss.3s

god; deity; spirit; sacred object (about which some prohibition is made); center; religion; belief.
chedul a chelid er ngii, Dios a Chedul a beluulechad.

kelel a chelid

n.

food of the gods.

bedengel a chelid

expr.

sacred object; food forbidden to village or family.

bedengel er a chelid

expr.

sacred object (e.g., stone with image of deity); food forbidden to village or family.

chedul a bilas

expr.

center of boat.

chedul a blai

expr.

main horizontal beam of thatched roof.
chedul a kerrekar el llemolem er a uchub er a blai.

tekoi el chelid

expr.

supernatural event.

tekoi er a chelid

expr.

religious or spiritual matters.

See also: , , ,

Examples:

A kot el blil a ureor el omerek er a tekoi el chelid er tia el beluu.

> the first house of work to spread God's word in this country

Ngara a chedum?

> What's your religion?/What god do you worship?

Ng techa el chelid er tir a sebechel el dulii a kirel a ngar er a medad el sils?

> Which of their gods can predict the future?

A irechar e ng mla er ngii a ta el chelid el ngklel a Meluadeangel.

> Once upon a time, there was a god named Meluadeangel.

Proverbs:

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.

chelid

, n.

third month of Palauan year.
chelid a ongedei el buil er a rak er a Belau.

Chelid

, n.

Chelid a Dios el ulemeob a rechad, eanged, chutem me a rokui.

melekingel

, n.poss.3s

representative; person who speaks for someone else.
melekingel a merolel; oderechelel el melekoi a tekingel; betok a remelekingel a chelid er a Belau.

mengid

, v.t.

turn or nod (neck) to one side; twist or wring (something).
mengid a mengam er ngii; chidir a chiklel, chelid el cheukl; mengid a melebes el melemall a dellomel; chidir, chemid a dait, dait a chelid.

nglosech

, n.

section of thatched roof of bai.
nglosech a blingelel a chado er a blai me a bai; rurrot a omechar a nglosech er a bai.

oltengel

, v.t.

take/bring down (from above).
oltengel a otengel; melai el me er eou; otengelii a banderang, otengelel.

techolb

, n.

ritual for discouraging evil spirits (often involving use of water for purification).
techolb a melecholb; tochelbii er a ralm; techelbel; techolbchelid.

ngelsechel	n.poss.3s	ngelsechel a nglosech er ngii; blingelel el nglosech.
bedebadel	n.	bedebadel a nglosech er a blai.
melai nglosech	expr.	section of thatching between ends and center of roof.
nglosech er a bedebadel	expr.	subdivisions of melai nglosech.
nglosech er a chelid	expr.	section of thatching at center of rood.
nglosech er a olikchelid	expr.	subdivisions of melai nglosech.
nglosech er a umad	expr.	section of thatching at both ends of roof.

otengelii	v.pf.3s	otengelii a oltengel er ngii.
ultengelii	v.pf.3s.past
otengel	v.pf.3p.inan.
ultengel	v.pf.3p.inan.past
mlotengel	v.erg.past	mlotengel a mlengai el me er eou; ultengelii a bangderang; ultengel, otengelel.
motengel	v.erg.	motengel a ultengel; otengelii; otengel; mengai el mei er eou; ultengel a bangderang; otengelel.
oltetengetengel		oltetengetengel a mekudem el oltengel.
otengelall /otengall	v.a.s.	is to be taken/brought down. otengelall a kirel el motengel; otengel a kall el mei er eou; otengelii a bangderang.
ultengel	v.r.s.	taken or brought down. ultengel a mla motengel; ngar eou; diak lulengasech.
oltengel a chelid	expr.	call or summon a god.
oltengel a chull	expr.	make rain.
oltengel a daob	expr.	push (person) around; bully.
See also: ,

melekingel a chais	expr.	news reporter.
melekingel a chelid	expr.	missionary; representative of or speaking for the gods.
See also:

techelbel	n.poss.3s	techelbel a omelcholb er ngii; diak lengai a techelbel a mekngit a bul.
techolb chelid	expr.	Baptism.
See also: ,

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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