Entries | Nukuoro Living Dictionary

Entries

sumu— fish sp.: triggerfish, filefish (the native term is applied to many spp.)
galevaleva— bird species
seleia— to cut one's hand by a hand-held fish line, when it is taken by a fish
abongi baasi— capsize sideways
gainga— trash, garbage; braided dead coconut fronds used in buttressing the sides of uinga
masagi— a dance (an ancient type)
dangi talinga— tinnitus, a ringing sound in the ear
sabo— do slowly
ssolo— wipe, scrub, clean up (by wiping), erase
magona— extraordinary, outstanding, unusual
ia— he, she, it
denei ange maalie— this is exactly right
ao age— daybreak (become daylight)
gadigadi gauvae— chattering of teeth (from cold)
dao haiava— path (a minor, not major, thoroughfare)
hagabasa— cause someone to speak; convince
hakaadia— make tightly packed
lilo— disappear, vanish; sheltered (from the elements)
gahaalava— orange-colored (like a certain variety of coconut)
agu dama— my children
mogobuna— grandchild, descendant of
lele togo mouli— have hiccups
hesongi— kiss, embrace
laamasee— a divination result indicating good fortune
haimee baubau— sexual intercourse; fornication
daalinga— an area near the flowering part of a coconut tree (where birds perch)
muu— fish sp.: snapper (the native term is applied to many spp.)
dagodo daudahi— having the same characteristics, be alike
holau— canoe house
ssobo— rise (of stars, the moon, or the sun)
hagaloa— groove; a path (lengthwise) in the taro bog
duuhia ange— praised (by others)
hagadabena ina— separated, be
dagu hahine— my "daughter" or "mother" (not one's natural mother)
hagahoohoo— to scare fish, etc.
noho dau donu— sit quietly
dangada ulu— companions or friends who share the same interests, and who get along well
ago— learn, teach
hakiuu— baseball
dili dai— any current flowing away from the atoll
geugeu— shake one's head back and forth
vivi— female genital area
ssao— sweep, clean up
lingilingia— pour little by little
galubu— a type of toy
hagahongagelegele— to make a child defecate
dua daabasi— the size of fishing line appropriate for tuna fishing
maava age— belch
dahidonga— grandfather
maalie ange— a little later
magamagalili— frequently be cold
mau— (singular) usual; usually
mee mmilo— current (in the sea)
sali tae— intractable watery diarrhea
hakohu luu mada— squint (eyes),frown
hagasoa— go with someone; cause to increase innumber
dangada agoago taumaha— priest
lua laangi— Tuesday ('second day')
malau ngudu— lips; labia (vulva)
hagamaamaane— urinate
hagamua— be first; get closer to
malanga— depart, set sail
sulu gi mua— fall forward
dilobuna— growing coconut sapling
hagaaoaoa— cause to have been continuously sufficient; aid (by giving something); help (with provisions)
ao ina— inadvertently remain up until daybreak
laagau— wood
seevoivoia— to be in the state of crying uncontrollably
baanabu— stone used for trolling lure
luu adaadeu— our (plural, inclusive; for dual, alienable noun)
bedi— fat (e.g., of a person)
beluu— lizard; gecko
dangi a beini— to have smelled ripe pandanus
ago i tua— learn by heart
ngaio-golai— fish sp.: needlefish
tama e manege— a person who is capable at almost anything
halihalibaa— fish sp.: flatfish
gai niivoi— to eat food without washing one's hands after having prepared a corpse for burial
hagaagiagilaunga
lodo malangilangi— happy
dagu— speak, pronounce, utter (words)
maadaau— for us (dual, inclusive) (alienable)
hagaagahia
donu iho— realize, understand
de gau duuli sou— Gilbertese people
hagausi— darkening of the sky or clouds (a sign of impending rain)
daa— fish sp., squirrelfish
hagaadaadamainga
anaa ai— these (there) only
daumaha daamada— the morning prayer service (before the major church service)
hagasolo age— keep postponing or delaying
hulo— go (plural)
daane abo donu— gentleman, person who is good
madaladala de leo— a clear and high-pitched singing voice
hagailangi-bangi— a type of prepared food
gaha nuui— having green coconuts (of a coconut tree)
sau— parent-in-law, child-in-law <an abbreviated form of saulaba>
lau— the size of something
tuu todo— stop bleeding
elaaelaa— a sound indicating surprise
hagaao— intend to stay up until daybreak
madaono— sixty
aheahe— keep returning
hai me galasi— to steal after having sort of asked for
hili— choose, select
duuduu— stand around (idly); defecate <baby talk>; hillock, high
haolua— double-hulled canoe
dono ingoo go...— his/her name is...
gammenge-olomanga— mollusk sp., thais armigera
gidaadeu— we (plural, inclusive)
de hia— which number
pelaavaa— local bread
kona ange— become much worse
delaa huu— that was it just as before
gulunieli— plant sp.
gau ivi— skinny
anga gee— turn one's attention away from
ssiva-malama— September (lit. 'ninth month')
buaalali— flood tide
baba ange— ready for
lalo ade— solar plexus (considered the seat of feeling)
baa age— shallow (e.g., waters)
galu/augau— mucus
huluhulu— hair (on the body); fur
ouaa— yes certainly
madaa moni— prow of a canoe
daa de baalanga— ring the bell
moni madagidagi— old canoes
mmidi— suck, suction (e.g., of sea current)
duu— stand, situated; married
mai ange laa— the next (one) following the one in question
maadau— hook, fishhook
mee maimai— candy
se aha au naa— you are wrong; that's not right; I don't agree
hagadagodo— cause to lie down or remain; illustrate by examples
madalua ma valu— twenty eight
danu de maasina— the setting of the moon
hagaagainga
magi sali usu— headcold, runny nose
hagaaduadunga
gamagama— seaweed sp.
sasa— to talk or move in one's sleep, or when delirious
daane hebagi— soldier
hagaabo
sugi de ngudu— the corner of the mouth
hale gaugau— bath house
dau— your (singular; for singular, alienable noun)
llibo— drunk, get drunk (plural)
dee madaladala de langi— raining without let-up
gannui mada makaga— meat inside a young green coconut which is firm
dangaloa— shooting star
hagasebugi— make a total of one billion
ssege tama— miscarriage
nanua— the object of a complaint
boolo— bowl
ngalullulu— shaky
huahuaa mee— magic
mami— taste (of something)
manu ea— coral head (at or broaching the surface of the water)
denei ange naa— about this (singular), much more...
dee vaaseegina— hardly able to wait for
bouli— darkness (of or pertaining to); afterlife
mada gi daha— having the point bent outward (away from its handle)
maakau loo dangada— now we're in trouble
haalo— extend one's hand, reach out; to expect things from others, and accept too readily
aalaa maa— those there were about (approximately)
gaaginga— ladder
ataula— anchor rope
dauulu— verdant (indicating growing well)
hai maa— relationship of spouse's sibling to sibling's spouse
mangoo-dahola— fish sp.: blacktip shark
dama ssala— an adopted child
gabola— flatten out something mushy
ngalogu— push in, crumple up; bend out of shape (temporarily); easily changed in shape (esp. by pushing)
luu malau ngudu— lips
lii— bird sp. (seen only over the ocean)
leoleo— the making of sounds repeatedly; talking
duu taelodo— obtain one's quota
kano siabo— the meat on the side of the fish's head
ssii mommomo— broken up into small pieces
hagaageli
labua gee (lodo)— having an upset stomach; to be on the point of nausea
hagaageagelia
aigimea— plant sp.: wedelia creeper (wedelia biflora)
adu laa— after tomorrow; the one after the next one
savala— interested in, enjoys
mommomo— a little at a time
ngaoheohe— easily bent (impermanently)
sugi au— a current of choppy water between other currents
gili solasola— leathery black skin (of humans)
malili— fish sp.: goatfish
lluhe— plant sp., sword fern (the native term applies possibly to several spp.)
daonga— feast
huluhulu mada— eyebrow(s)
poo ange— touch (someone or something with the hand)
dau dinae— a period during which many women are pregnant at the same time
luungagi— to be in a place protected from the wind, lee
boo gi de gai— continually wanting to eat
hau manu— a garland of flowers, headdress, necklace
daga holiage— surrounding area; to cut or make a ring around

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