Entries | Nukuoro Living Dictionary

Entries

giebu— plant sp.: spider lily (hymenocallis littoralis (jacq.) salisb.)
malemalemo— a careless diver (who is frequently almost drowned)
manu-lalo-de-gelegele— mantis shrimp
donu sala— misunderstand
gainanga— a person having special powers (occult powers, strength, status, or knowledge)
oha valaai— to disobey the instructions of a healer
meamea --— becoming red
inai— a type of mat
hagaloosi— guard, watch, keep an eye on
hagailoo— announce
bubu— move about
denga mee nei— these ones (plural)
huli— turn (something in a direction)
madaoaligi— a type of string figure
hagaduu i luu goo— an expression equivalent to "damn it"
aoa— tree sp.: banyan tree (ficus prolixa forst.)
baalasi ngago— incubation of eggs (by a hen)
dogonogo— tip of the spine (caudal vertebrae)
guba— fish sp.: cardinalfish (the native term is applied to several spp.)
anei naa loo— these seem to be
duuhua— single, unmarried
bigi lima— hold hands
hagamanavasaa— risky, dangerous
gohu de me— become dark (with no natural light)
gai nnao— eat messily
dangada vai gelegele— a person of filthy appearance or habits
dolu— three
basa pada— speak harshly
haangoda— fishing
masalaba— clear (not opaque or blurred); shiny (translucent)
hagadahea— to allow the wind or current to carry the canoe
lodo— inside
ege iho— lower (something)
galoi— having soft thighs <a term of endearment used by a man to a woman>
seni tao— sleep soundly
gu dee galemu— recovering from an illness (getting better)
delaa ange maalie— that there is exactly right
bangi dua beau— a certain way of pinching with the fingers
anei ange— and these (here)
belu— lizard sp.
aahee loo— when (distant future)
hagaseesee— to manage, direct
duu modu— vertical cut
buni de ua— to be very thirsty
mahu— healed (of a sore)
gaso— roof thatch rafters (of pandanus slats)
sula boo— the appearance in early morning of a ship (or plane)
dube— movements perceived under the covers; the swarming of maggots in meat
buuludi— hug
gaadu— dog
tanga gee— separated from
ganae— fish sp.: mullet
eiidu— ghost
hagamavaevae— separate (something); be separated
modu— cut off, disconnected; an islet (on the atoll); to have been decided formally; to have been adjudicated
se biho— clever (scheme or trick)
henua gai dangada— land of the cannibals' (esp. new guinea)
baalasa— ballast for an outrigger
langi— start or begin (singing or fighting only)
tahido— tree trunk
denei ai huu— this is it still
gudu gaaduu— dog flea
aausa— wake (of a ship)
gaba taiao— early morning
duu midomido— an abrupt stop of a trajectory (because one end of the missile has dug into the ground, etc.)
heiloo— know each other, understand each other
hagalua (ina)— make a total of two
kangi de hagasaele— a quick-witted person (who realizes his goals fast)
doli— to obtain as many as one can; to defeat all comers
masole ange— barely scratched
alaa muna— word
noho mai (adu, ange)— resist me (you, them), oppose me (you, them)
maanadu age— decide (arrive at a decision), make up one's mind; think up
dalodalosia— pray for
noho hagamolomolo— to sit by oneself (away from the main group)
haelu— var. of wipe oneself (after defecating)
hagapunidia— add up (many things)
llava ai— wrapped (tied) around; eat fish or meat with a meal
oou— yes
galo gila— goatfish
mee hagalolo— a type of prepared food (made from taro and coconut cream)
mmade ange aalanga— completely exhausted; completely discouraged
gelogelo— having many depressions (e.g., a corrugated surface)
gai aha— and then what
hagaola— save from
dala— unfasten, undo, untie
hagamaadau— barb
lodo mao lalo— self-effacing, meek in spirit
maahaa ada— dawn (first burst of light)
balabala— soft, weak (of things only)
doo dai— appearing from lagoonward; to come from lagoonward; wind direction from the west
ngudu ai— act as an interpreter
dada— pull
boo— night; birthday
midi— dream
aahulu— to leave food cooking overnight
lava hadu— leader (between fishing line and hook)
aahee huu— then which
gili dalo— hillock
vvede— to massage
vogi— to shame someone by teasing or insulting them
gede gabi de husi— a type of basket
hagadaga— go from one place to another, and another, etc.
mami— papaya; papaya tree
mee vae— shoes, slippers
malo— clothes, cloths
haa leu— a leaf which has turned yellowish-brown
doo— an evil scheme
mada-galadi— fish sp.: jack
maadau daodao— a type of fishhook (large, for using a piece of fish as bait)
mosongenge— a name children tease each other with
baani— lie (down)
hagaduulanga— method of construction; appearance (e.g., of a ship, house, or other construction)
hale gaainga— hotel
tabagau— type of floor mat
dagu age— say out loud
hagaaduisiisi— to treat someone as a first husband or wife
oo— fit to (or into)
kau— swim
paa de mahi dua— sneeze
madau— right (direction)
dugi de lodo— to fish in various places (in the lagoon) in order to catch as many fish (of any kind) as possible
dama ssege— a fetus which has been aborted
gage— climb; climb up on
olo— beach, sand spit
hagadilimangali— to teach someone to catch flying fish
hagailangi— a type of prepared food (made from breadfruit)
denei ai laa— this is that then
maakau— die (pl.)
hidu laangi— Sunday ('seventh day')
deelaa— that (over there)
lehu— lime (stone)
hagauda de hau— put on a necklace, wreath, crown
kai— legend, fictional story
biigonga— a curve, way of being bent
taa de biho— wash hair
ahine— woman
dau haanau— a period during which many children are born
hagaaligi— install as a priest (of a cult)
laumalie— big
galagala— sponge sp. (several spp.)
boo danuaa— good night
too madaaua— drip, fall drop by drop
iga— fish (archaic, except in compounds)
sengalia— deceived, fooled; made dependent upon (e.g., gifts)
ivi— bone, needle
llimu— a small honu
guduaanga— abounding in lice
goli manu— pick flowers
aalaa laa— those (there) which were there
ssogalia— <var. of ssogolia>
hagamoni— provide a canoe for
hagassui age— eat or drink just a little bit
alelo-hatuli— mollusk sp.: pearly nautilus
igohi— firetongs
baubau— be capable at
tilo— watch, look, find, seek out
sai— wrap, cover up (with several layers)
basa lilo— speak indirectly (so that the meaning is vague)
maalioso— die, dead (persons or animals)
balu moso— constant movement of the hands and feet, as when struggling (resembling the movements of a young starling)
aoaoa— habitually remain up until daybreak
gabugabu— shore
de heduu o taiao— morningstar
hagamaamaane— make lighter; choose the easiest work (rather than the more difficult)
taane ga hai bodu— groom
kano maalama— a phosphorescent flash in the water
malangilangi— happy, laugh (as a sign of happiness), cheerful
hagahedae— make equal; go to meet
ibu— <var. of ubu>
anengenenge— mollusk sp.: conus chaldaeus
tuhi iho— praise oneself
dibidibi— a square ball (for tossing about) plaited of pandanus leaves
belabela— dirty (like mud, boggy soil)
hhali— scoop up (of solids only)
nagonago— the sound of sloshing water (or of sexual intercourse)
hagaahi— provide fire to or for; hungry; eat something
madaangahulu ma hidu— seventeen
ului— turn inside out
honu tai— high tide
mada luu mada— in the presence of someone
aasolo— mollusk sp., clam sp., type of clam (sp.: tridacna maxima)
hiihii mada— eyelash(es)
hagadangidangi— play music; make someone keep crying
duu donu— vertical
luu oo— your (singular; for dual, inalienable noun)
bulubulu malo— rag
momme hai lua— a fishing spot (beyond the seaward reef) where either reef or ocean fish can be found
hagamaumau— study, attempt to memorize
adu-balebale-i-dai— fish sp.
nuinui— a sp. of driftwood (resembling aha-bagua), the core of which is used for the hoop of the flying fish net
llena luu mada— raise both eyebrows
muna e basa ange ai— answer
ivi-a-duimogo— pelvic bone
daa— a bunch
soe age— straight up; decide (for oneself)
taumaha— church
daagelo— February
lahu me— inclined to be suspicious
hala goobai— a wooden form used in making hats

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