bai, mod.comparatively; by comparison, instead; rather. Also used in conditional sentences to contrast two events.
bai
a
omuchel
a
bebil
er
a
omengedecheduch,
bai
ungil
me
ko
mlei;
bai
ba
morael,
bai
molekoi
e
kuleki
kung;
bai
de
kasmesumech
er
tiang
e
bo
de
kebii.
Examples:
Ng
bai
soak
a
kohi
er
a
tii.
> I like coffee more than tea.
Kede
bai
mo
odngelii
er
a
kebesengei?
> Shall we visit her tonight?
Bai
molesei
el
ekong.
> Move a little away (from me).
A
eolt
a
bai
iliit
er
a
Belau.
> The storm missed Palau.
Proverbs:
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Ngerekabesang:
a
Telkakl
> Like the name of the community house at Ngerekabesang: "Buttressed."
At Ngerekabesang in Koror (central Palau) there is a community house (bai) called Telkakl, which means "to buttress" or "to be buttressed." Some of the older bai in Palau were thus supported with beams from the ground to the eaves, and the implication has been added that a bai so supported must be very full of important possessions. This idiom is used of a person who is wealthy, or of one's self, meaning that one has cash on hand.
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
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Chol:
a
Medederiik
> Like the name of the bai at Chol: "Empty."
A bai in the northern community of Chol is (or once was) called Medederiik, meaning "deserted" or "empty." The idiom may apply to a person without possessions, a poor man.
Ngalek
a
bai.
> Child of the clubhouse.
In former times, when Palauan women would sometimes serve as companions to the men of clubs in villages other than their own, a woman occasionally became pregnant. While pregnancy during this service, or as a result of it, was considered bad form, a child so conceived was not considered "illegitimate" but was differentiated in degree by this idiom.
More Examples:
Elik
aika
el
delir
tirkang
me
a
aika
el
bilir
bai
dil
di
meau
kung
meltang.
> Oh my, their bellies and their clothes, they shoudl just go naked then.
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.
Ak
bai
mo
mengimd
er
a
kebesengei.
> I should go get a haircut tonight.
Kede
bai
mochu
melamech
a
cheliud.
> We should chew homegrown tobacco.
Ng
diak
kblekall
er
a
mekngit
el
reng;
ak
bai
mengull
er
a
Demak,
e
kemiu
a
imings
a
medemiu
er
ngak.
> I am not possessed by a devil; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
bai
/abai		,
/uploads/pics/2979.jpg, n.		village meeting house; guest house; community house.
bai
a
ongdboll;
tbiil
a
llach
er
ngii;
bai
er
a
klobak;
a
bai
a
ongdboll
er
a
beluu,
orekuul,
blil
a
kldibel,
bailbeluu;
bai
er
a
remeau;
oremuul,
bai
er
a
rengeasek,
merael
a
kakerous
el
omeruul
er
a
chelsel
a
ngellakel
me
a
sius,
me
a
klautok
me
a
ngloik
er
a
chesel.
biln.poss.3s
bai er a rubakexpr.bai for old men only.
kebtot el baiexpr.twin bai; two bais adjacent to each other.
See also:
BAIBELUU
Examples:
Bai
molesei
el
ekong.
> Move a little away (from me).
Kede
bai
mo
odngelii
er
a
kebesengei?
> Shall we visit her tonight?
Ng
bai
soak
a
kohi
er
a
tii.
> I like coffee more than tea.
A
eolt
a
bai
iliit
er
a
Belau.
> The storm missed Palau.
Proverbs:
Ngalek
a
bai.
> Child of the clubhouse.
In former times, when Palauan women would sometimes serve as companions to the men of clubs in villages other than their own, a woman occasionally became pregnant. While pregnancy during this service, or as a result of it, was considered bad form, a child so conceived was not considered "illegitimate" but was differentiated in degree by this idiom.
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
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Ngerekabesang:
a
Telkakl
> Like the name of the community house at Ngerekabesang: "Buttressed."
At Ngerekabesang in Koror (central Palau) there is a community house (bai) called Telkakl, which means "to buttress" or "to be buttressed." Some of the older bai in Palau were thus supported with beams from the ground to the eaves, and the implication has been added that a bai so supported must be very full of important possessions. This idiom is used of a person who is wealthy, or of one's self, meaning that one has cash on hand.
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Chol:
a
Medederiik
> Like the name of the bai at Chol: "Empty."
A bai in the northern community of Chol is (or once was) called Medederiik, meaning "deserted" or "empty." The idiom may apply to a person without possessions, a poor man.
More Examples:
Dimlak
kisterir
er
a
chelsel
a
bai.
> I didn't see them in the men's club house.
Ak
bai
mo
mengimd
er
a
kebesengei.
> I should go get a haircut tonight.
Kede
bai
mochu
melamech
a
cheliud.
> We should chew homegrown tobacco.
Ng
locha
bai
ungil
doruul
a
cheluch
er
Belau.
> I think we should make coconut oil.
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.

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