Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

kuk

, mod.

instead; by contrast; in addition; then; next; in turn; just.
kuk a omech a tekoi; ng kuk ker? ng kuk ngera soam? ng kuk ngii!

machod

, num.

10 [ten] (counting).
machod a ochur; iai, itiu, machod.

machod me a orung	expr.	twelve.
machod me a tang	expr.	eleven.

mengabs

, v.t.

hang with rope, etc.; commit suicide by hanging; defeat (someone) by getting special hand in hanahuda (card game).
mengabs a kobsii; kuabs a tuu er a kerrekar; kebsel.

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:

Me ta er a oluches.

> Give me one of the pencils.

Te ulemais er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They wandered around in an hour.

Me ta er a kiklou el sualo.

> Give me a basket that's a little bigger.

Ng ngera a uchul me ng di mle kau el tang el me er tiang?

> Why did you come here all by yourself?

Ak mlo er a kedera el di ngak el tang.

> I went to the beach along.

Proverbs:

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 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 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 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

More Examples:

A rsul a babii a kma el kirel di tang.

> The stabbing of the pig should only take once.

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

> Is it OK for me to call you sometime?

Ng diak lsoam el ko er a mo ousueleb me a lechub e ng belsoil er a ta er a taem?

> Do you want to have lunch or dinner sometime?

Me ta er a taod

> Please give me a fork

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.

tang

, n.

foundation pillar in house and contemporary bai; support post of house; stick; stake.
tang a klekedall er a blai, bai; tang a dechor er a chutem; tengal.

teruich

, num.

10 [ten] (unit of time; human).
teruich a ochur (10), teruich el buil; teruich el klebesei, teruich el ekebil.

kobsii	v.pf.3s	kobsii a mengabs er ngii.
kilebsii	v.pf.3s.past
kuabs	v.pf.3p.inan.	kuabs a mengabs; kobsii, kuabs a tuu, kebsel.
kilabs	v.pf.3p.inan.past
kakabs	v.recip.	hang each other (in wrestling). kakabs a didu el mengabs; kekerous el melecherakl; kobsii, kuabs, kakabs a tuu er a blai, kebsel.
kebikl /kebsall	v.a.s.	is to be hung. kebikl a kirel el mekabs; metecherakl, kobsii, kuabs a tuu, kebsel. kebsall a kebikl; kirel mekabs.
klabs /klebikl	v.r.s.	hung with rope; etc.; defeated (in hanahuda = card game). klabs a mla mekabs; tuu a klebikl, kebsel. klebikl a klabs.
mekabs	v.erg.
mekabs er a tang	expr.	lose to nanatang (high value scoring combination).
See also:

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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