Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

chei

, n.

ocean; sea; place for fishing.
chei a klou el daob; cheleched, chei a belual a rokui el cheled. Chelecha kede kuk mo er a chei. Me a chei a ngar er ngii a kebokeb, keburs, taoch, demetaoch, lalou, uet, lemau, kereker, chis dailechei, melekesokl, ngeraol, oreall, chiloil, chelemoll, me a daimechesengel.

delach

, n.r.s.

fish guts; intestine; bowels.
delach a diil; delechil; ta el delach a chimo el diil; ngeleketedelach, ngelekel a ta el dil.

diil

, n.

abdomen; womb; stomach.
diil a delach, delel a chad, ngalek a ngar er a chelsel a diil.

dolech

, n.

depth; tide.
dolech a delechel a ralm me a daob, klou a dolech; keriik, dmolech a chei, delechel.

klou

, v.s.

big; large; great; old.
klou a diak le kekerei; babii a klou er a katuu.

kiklou

v.s.redup.

a little bigger.
kiklou a telkib el klou; kiklou el blai.

klungang

v.s.inch.

is getting big/growing.
klungang a mla mo klou.

meklou

v.s.pl.

big; large; great; old (required with plural subject).
meklou a betok el klou; meklou el ngikel, meklou el blai, mekllungel; orekerekoang.

klou a chull

expr.

heavy rain.

klou a rengul

expr.

patient; confident.

klou el chad

expr.

adult.

klou er a rengul

expr.

determined.

See also: ,

Examples:

Ak oulengechel er a mangidab se el lebo ldibus el kmo ng mo er ngii a klou el eolt.

> Whenever a spider has disappeared (from its web), I take it as a sign that there will be a big storm.

Ng kmal klou a cherrodech el kirel a cherredechel a mlai.

> There are a lot of complaints about the noise from cars.

A bechachau el deromukang a klou a oto er ngii.

> An empty drum makes a large noise (i.e., those who talk a lot really have little to say).

A klou a rengul a kuk ungil er a mesisiich el chad.

> It is better to be patient than powerful.

E solae ng mlo er ngii a bosech er a Ekipten el rokir me a Kanaan el rokir, el mlo uchul a klou el ringel.

> Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering.

Proverbs:

Metkul a bkul a Ngirair, e klou el Belau el mo er a Ngerechelong.

> From the Metkul boundary point at Ngirair, Palau is yet huge up to Ngerechelong.

This saying is given two meanings, both negative, pertaining to the people of northern Palau and to Ngaraard particularly: (i) the people of northern Palau are so provincial that they still think Palau is a huge country; (2) the people of northern Palau are the biggest liars (a play on "to deceive," which sounds like Belau [Palau] ). The idiom may be shortened to "Men of the point" (Chad ra bkul), referring to a point of land at Ngirair marking the boundary of Ngaraard. Or the act of patting the elbow (bkul) may carry the same meaning. Actually, the idiom is of fairly recent vintage, pertaining in part to resistance on the part of some of the people of northern Palau to administrative programs instituted by the Japanese.

Ng ko er a debar er a Ngechur, el klungang e me ngal modekriker.

> Like the duck of Ngechur, he became industrious after growing old.

The idiom is applied to a person who has more or less vegetated into maturity and old age and who, already far past his prime, suddenly tries without success to do all the things he might have done when younger. It may be used with reference to an elder who tries to be a dandy.

More Examples:

Aki mlo ungil chudecheduch a klungiolel me a klou el ututelel a skuul.

> We talked about the importance and the betterment of education.

Ak chetitau a bedengek e melemalt a chiuk e meklou a medak.

> I'm brown skinned with straight hair and big eyes.

Kmal mle klou a ieleb.

> It flooded.

Ak oklukl e ongirt. Ng locha klou a terreter.

> I'm coughing and sneezing. There's something going around.

A rokui el ngalek a mle ngelekel tia el chimo el beluu. Ng mle klou a klaukerreu.

> All the kids belonged to the village. Everyone cared about each other.

ngor

, n.

mouth; voice; sound; bill (of bird); beak.
ngor a klekedall er a chad me a charm el mengang e melim; ngor a melekoi.

ngerek

n.poss.1s

ngerem

n.poss.2s

ngerel

n.poss.3s

ngerel a ngor er ngii.

ngeram

n.poss.1pe

ngered

n.poss.1pi

ngeriu

n.poss.2p

ngerir

n.poss.3p

ngerengerel

ngerengerel a mekudem el melekoi; tekingel a di a ullekeiungel.

kekere a ngerel

expr.

talk too softly.

klou a ngerel

expr.

talk too loud.

ngerel a bilas

expr.

sound of a boat.

ngerel a charm

expr.

animal sound(s).

ngerel a omeius

expr.

chant sung while paddling.

See also:

Examples:

ng milekoi a debar el kmal mereched a ngerel.

> said the duck, who was quite a gossip.

Bom luk a ngerem!

> Be quiet!

Ng mekekokir a ngerel.

> He speaks softly (in a low voice).

Hall, e kdeb er a ngerem.

> Let me interrupt you.

A ngerel a Droteo a ko er a ngerel a tungch.

> Droteo's mouth is small and narrow (like that of a trigger fish).

Proverbs:

Meduch a ngerel.

> A variety of banana.

The people of Kayangel; a banana occurring there.

Bekiu a ngerel.

> Fierce with mouth.

An individual who, without the authority to back his words, refutes authority; a person without traditional status talking back to one with such status.

More Examples:

Mtemelii a ngerem.

> Come taste/try (bitter food, sweet food, betelnut,etc.). (lit. destroy your mouth).

Te mera el betok a ngerir e diak a chimorir.

> A lot of talk but no action.

Ng dimlak ledurenguk el melius. Ak tilemir a ngerek.

> I didn't mean to cuss or swear. It slipped out of my mouth.

Omeruul a kuk ngaruchei er a tekoi er a ngor.

> Actions speak more than words.

Ke mera el mekngit a ngerem.

> Dang, you are so straight up.

ultutelel

, n.

importance; significance; function; meaning; purpose; reason; value.
ultutelel a usbechall er ngii; ngar ngii a belkul, usbechel; skuul ngar er ngii a ultutelel.?

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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