Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

blai

, n.

house; household; family; members of family; enclosure; container.

blai

a

teleketek

e

cheldool

le

kiei

er

ngii

a

rechad;

blai

a

osechelel

a

delengchokl.

blik

n.poss.1s

blim

n.poss.2s

blil

n.poss.3s

blil

a

blai

el

ngii

a

oublai

er

ngii.

blimam

n.poss.1pe

blid

n.poss.1pi

our (inclusive) house, household, etc.

blid

a

blai

el

kid

a

oublai

er

ngii.

blimiu

n.poss.2p

blirir

n.poss.3p

babelblai

n.

(a wealthy person's) house.

babelblai

a

blai

el

ilteet;

meteetel.

blil a beras

expr.

sack/container for rice.

blil a cheluch

expr.

any container for gasoline, cooking oil, etc..

blil a dangs

expr.

dance hall.

blil a ngal

expr.

termites' nest.

blil a ngikel

expr.

aquarium.

chad er a blai

expr.

members of the family.

See also:

OUBLAI

Examples:

A

uche

er

a

kbo

kmerek

er

a

subelek,

e

a

Droteo

a

mirrael

el

mo

er

a

blil.

> Before I finished my homework, Droteo went home.

A

redart

el

kelebus

a

selers

er

a

blil

a

kelebus.

> 100 prisoners are held by the prison.

A

blai

a

kerekikl

el

mlukedechor.

> The house was built carefully.

Ke

medengei

el

kmo

a

Ngeriungs

a

ta

er

a

klou

a

ultutelel

el

blil

a

suebek

el

charm

er

a

beluulchad?

> Do you know that Ngeriungs is an important Bird Area in the world?

Tia

el

blil

a

Wilbur

a

mla

er

ngii

a

tungelel

me

ng

mle

sebechel

a

Wilbur

el

mo

tuobed.

> Wilbur's pen had a gate, so Wilbur could go outside.

Proverbs:

Kom

chameiu

el

blai.

> You're getting involved with someone too closely related.

Possibly derived from an incident in which a coconut syrup maker was incestuously involved with his wife's sister.

Ke

ko

er

a

otaor

el

di

omtitechakl

el

diak

a

blil.

> You're like a floating log without a resting place.

You have no fixed abode.

Ng

ko

er

a

uul,

el

teleu

a

blil

e

oleker

er

a

chull.

> Like the uul [Cettria cantans?] with its house open, calling for rain.

The uul may be heard to call out usually just before it rains; some say that it is calling for rain. This seems foolish, since the bird constructs its house with an opening at the top that will let rain in. A person who makes a decision or starts some action without adequate preparation is likened to the uul.

More Examples:

Tia

el

chadou

er

a

blik

a

chemersang.

> My roof is leaking.

Ke

mla

er

a

blai

er

a

elii?

> Were you at the house yesterday?

Ka

mesa

blim

me

a

delengcheklem

e

bochu

molemalt

er

a

rengelekir

a

rubliil.

> Look at where you came from let alone your household before you try to wise up a stranger.

Kede

mo

er

e

mo

er

e

ng

di

rengud

a

kmal

di

omdasu

er

a

rechad

er

a

blid.

> No matter where we go, we never stop thinking of our families.

Ak

mlo

er

a

blil

a

sechelik

er

a

kesus.

Ng

milruul

er

a

belsilam.

> I went to my significant other's last night. He made dinner for us.

mad

, n.

eye; face; point; edge; front; area or space (directly) in front of; entrance; point of access; aperture; title given to messengers.

mad

a

klekedellel

a

chad

el

omes;

olab

a

ues;

klidm,

chelsul

a

mad,

bsechel

a

mad,

medal.

medak

n.poss.1s

medam

n.poss.2s

medal

n.poss.3s

medal

a

mad

er

ngii.

medemam

n.poss.1pe

medad

n.poss.1pi

medemiu

n.poss.2p

mederir

n.poss.3p

el mo er a medad

expr.

in the future.

mad el chur

expr.

laughing or smiling face.

mad el kekerei

expr.

expression of a child.

mad el ngalek

expr.

expression of a child.

medal a bedul

expr.

forehead.

medal a beluu

expr.

representative of the village; center of village.

medal a blik

expr.

in front of my house.

See also:

CHELSUL

A

MAD

Examples:

A

beab

a

milsa

a

medal

a

sechelil

el

telemall.

> The mouse saw his friend's injured face.

Ke

kmal

mengas

a

medad

er

a

seked.

> You really embarrass us in public.

Tia

a

mekngit

el

ngar

er

a

medal

a

Rubak

e

mo

ongesechii

a

rengul.

> This is evil in the Lord's sight, and it will make him angry.

Lak

lesebek

a

rengum

e

ng

kmal

diak

a

rolem

e

bo

mad.

> Don't worry; there's really no way you're going to die.

A

ngalek

a

ulutingaol

er

a

Toki

el

kmo

a

sechelil

a

Toki

mla

mad.

> The child lied to Toki (saying) that her friend had died.

Proverbs:

Se

el

obutek

a

medak.

> When my eyes are closed.

When one dies the eyes are "closed"; hence, to be dead. The term for "death" is mad as is the term for "eye," (mad; madak: "my eye"). Some sources suggest that the term for death refers to the closed eyes of a dead person.

Ngelek

el

medad.

> Child of the front.

A child (or adult) who performs well when being supervised, but who shirks duty otherwise.

Ng

ko

er

a

ngkelel

a

iusech

el

dimengel

a

medad

er

ngii

> Like a fish in deep, clear water, eaten only with the eyes.

Fish are not easily caught in clear water. The idiom applies to that which may be admired but not obtained, like an expensive item or another man's beautiful sweetheart.

Ng

di

ua

dorael

er

a

medal

a

oles.

> It's as if we were walking on the blade of a knife.

i.e., we're treading on dangerous ground; if we make one wrong move, we're finished.

Ng

ko

er

a

Chelebesoi

er

a

Ngeriil

el

mad

er

a

diak

lebngel.

> He's like Chelebesoi of Ngeriil, dead in a fishtrap not his own.

A man named Chelebesoi (also the name of a fish) was robbing another man's fish trap when a head-hunting party came by and removed his head. He lost both his head and his reputation. The idiom may apply to one who gets hurt while trying to do someone else's job.

More Examples:

Ak

ulureor

er

a

kesus

e

ng

mad

a

dengki.

> I was working last night when the power went out.

Ngka

el

rubak

a

di

mle

siesorech

e

mad.

> This old man stayed stiff and contorted as he died.

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.

Aika

el

medam

e

Ngerkumer

ngerang

meng

di

ombesisebusech?

> Why are Ngerkumer's eyes blinking so much?

Kmal

di

soad

a

mereched

e

beot

el

sisebel

a

udoud.

Ng

diak

domdasu

er

a

ngar

er

a

medad

el

taem.

> We like it quick and easy money making schemes without thinking for the future.

rebai

, n.

backyard; area or space in back (of a building).

rebai

a

diak

le

medal;

diak

le

ngelong

er

a

blai;

rebai

er

a

blai.

rebil

n.poss.3s

rebil

a

rebai

er

ngii

el

blai.

rebil

n.poss.3s.

rebil

a

dechil;

smecher

a

ourebai

er

a

blai.

ourebai

v.i.

walk by the rear of house; defecate (in bushes, etc., in back of house).

ourebai

a

chemei

e

mengemochem,

smecher

a

di

ourebai

er

a

blai.

rebai er a blik

expr.

in back of my house.

Proverbs:

Bisech

rebai

el

tekoi.

> Backyard taro stuff.

Bisch (Alocasia macrorhiza), a taro, can often be found growing near the garbage heap behind the traditional Palauan house. Because of this contamination, taro growing in this location was not eaten, nor were the leaves used as food wrappers. Hence, any valueless decision, action or object; a useless idea.

Ng

diak

kobetik

rengii

recheroid

e

me

douchi

er

a

rebai.

> Without looking afield, it was cut down behind the house.

From the folk tale concerning Mesubed Dingal, the inventor of the Palauan kite (see also No. 73). After his wife had been kidnapped, he constructed a kite using feathers from all the birds of Palau and he needed also wood from an Edebsungel tree to fashion the body of the bird-kite. After looking all over Palau and being on the point of giving up, he found the tree he needed behind his own house. The saying may be applied to anyone who does things the hard way, or who goes far afield to find something which is close at hand.

Ke

ko

er

a

bisech

er

a

bai

el

dechor

er

a