mlai, n.canoe; car; automobile; transportation.
mlai
a
olidiuul
er
a
beluu
me
a
daob;
mlai
a
oltak
a
rechad
me
a
uleklool.
mlikn.poss.1s
mlimn.poss.2s
mliln.poss.3s
mlil
a
mlai
er
ngii
el
chad.
mlimamn.poss.1pe
mlidn.poss.1pi
mlimiun.poss.2p
mlirirn.poss.3p
blil a mlaiexpr.garage.
mlai er a Siabalexpr.Japanese car.
Examples:
Ak
dilsechii
a
mlai
e
chilsberberii.
> I carved the canoe and then painted it.
Aki
mlo
mengurs
er
a
telemall
el
mlai.
> We were pulling the broken car.
A
Droteo
a
milsuub
el
meruul
a
mlai
er
a
demal.
> Droteo learned how to make canoes from his father.
Ng
ulemekall
er
a
mlil
a
Ioseb
el
mo
er
a
ngii
di
el
beluu?
> Did Joseph drive his car anywhere?
Ng
sebechek
el
longir
a
mlim?
> May I borrow your car?
Proverbs:
Lak
bo
mua
chad
er
a
Ngerchemai
el
miltom
er
a
uel
el
metom
ra
mlai.
> Don't be like the man from Ngerchemai who lost both the turtle and the canoe.
Don't bite off more than you can chew...don't be selfish.
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
omelkesel
Ngirakerisil,
el
di
diak
lecheldereder
a
mlil.
> Like Kerosene, poling his canoe with no obvious destination
Under the German administrator Winkler before World War I, a Palauan named Ngirakerisil (Mr. Kerosene) was employed as a canoe operator. Daily he would take the tireless administrator to a different part of Palau to inspect the various economic programs (largely coconut planting) instituted by the now legendary Winkler. The operator, least of all, could predict where they would be going next. The idiom is applied to any aimless person or action; indecision; a changeable person.
More Examples:
Kmal
di
medechel
a
eru
el
buil
el
kungkad
er
a
mlik.
> I only have two months to pay off for my car.
Ng
ua
ngerang
a
bedengel
a
mlim?
Ng
mellemau
adang
ng
bekerkard?
> What is the color of your car? is it blue? or is it red?
Ak
ulemekall
er
a
mlai
e
a
rebulis
a
mdechemak
e
le
ng
diak
a
lisens
er
ngak.
> I was driving a car and the police caught me because I don't have a license.
A
sechelil
a
sechelik
a
miltuchel
er
a
mlai.
Kmal
ngeltengat
el
dimlak
lemad.
> My friend's friend got hit by a car. She is so lucky she didn't die.
Ngak
me
a
ochellek
a
mirruul
er
a
mlimam
er
a
daob.
> My younger brother and I were making our canoe.

Search for another word: