kai

See also: Kai, kài, kāi, kǎi, -kai, ka'i, και, καί, and kái

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori kai. Doublet of makan (via Malay) in Malaysian and Singaporean Englishes.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this pronunciation?) (particularly: the audio is somewhat too fast)
• Rhymes: -aɪ

Noun

kai (uncountable)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, informal) Food. [from 19th c.]
   • 1995, Graeme Williams, The soc.culture.new-zealand FAQ:

     Actually, I'm not sure I like these new hangis using the foil, it tends to stop the juices getting through to the stones and I reckon the hangi kai is drier to the palate.

   • 2003, Carmen, “Is there really a censor in NZ?!”, in nz.general (Usenet):

     Got to go now and get some kai.

   • 2018, Melissa Lucashenko, Too Much Lip, University of Queensland Press, published 2023, page 118:

     When the sausage man handed the kai over, Kerry passed two wieners to a pair of skinny white kids who had been watching the queue the whole time.

See also

• kai kai
• kai-kai
• kai-lan
• koen-kai
• pok kai
• tom kha kai

 

Anagrams

• AKI, KIA, Kia, aik

Chinese

Etymology

From Mandarin 凱子 / 凯子 (kǎizi).

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): kaai¹

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: kaai¹
    • Yale: kāai
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kaai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: kai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰaːi̯⁵⁵/

Adjective

kai

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) foolish; idiotic
   • 2012, 回到三國 [Three Kingdoms RPG], episode 1, spoken by 司馬信 (馬國明):

     詰我啲兄弟，佢都kai kai地嘅。 [Cantonese, trad.]
     诘我啲兄弟，佢都kai kai地嘅。 [Cantonese, simp.]

     gat⁶ ngo⁵ di¹ hing¹ dai⁶, keoi⁵ dou¹ kaai¹ kaai¹ dei² ge³. [Jyutping]

     Humilliating my bro? He's such an idiot.

Verb

kai

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) to be foolish; to act like an idiot

See also

• kai子 (kaai1 zi2)

Estonian

Etymology

From German Kai, from Dutch kaai, from French quai.

Noun

kai (genitive kai, partitive kaid)

1. quay

Declension

Declension of kai (ÕS type 26/koi, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		kai	kaid
accusative	nom.
	gen.	kai
genitive			kaide
partitive		kaid	kaisid
illative		kaisse	kaidesse
inessive		kais	kaides
elative		kaist	kaidest
allative		kaile	kaidele
adessive		kail	kaidel
ablative		kailt	kaidelt
translative		kaiks	kaideks
terminative		kaini	kaideni
essive		kaina	kaidena
abessive		kaita	kaideta
comitative		kaiga	kaidega

Faroese

Etymology

Borrowed from Danish kaj, from Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰaiː/
• Rhymes: -aiː

Noun

kai f (genitive singular kaiar, plural kaiir)

1. (colloquial) quay

Declension

f2	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	kai	kaiin	kaiir	kaiirnar
accusative	kai	kaiina	kaiir	kaiirnar
dative	kai	kaiini	kaium	kaiunum
genitive	kaiar	kaiarinnar	kaia	kaianna

Synonyms

• bryggja
• atløgubryggja

Finnish

Etymology

Probably shortened from kaiketi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑi̯(ˣ)/, [ˈkɑ̝i̯(ʔ)]
• Rhymes: -ɑi
• Hyphenation^(key): kai

Adverb

kai

1. probably, I guess (that) (used to express a possibility or belief of what's going to happen)

   Synonyms: ehkä, kenties, luultavasti, otaksuttavasti, arvatenkin, varmaankin, mahdollisesti, kaiketi

   Tulee kai sade.

   It will probably rain.

   Minun pitää kai lähteä.

   I guess I'll have to go.

   Lasseko tämän rikkoi? -Niin kai.

   Was it Lasse who broke this? -Probably yes.

2. Used to indicate derision or disbelief.

   Luulisi hänen osaavan. -Kyllä kai!

   One would think he can. -Yes, but I doubt!

   Annas minä autan! -Niin kai, et sinä ole ennenkään auttanut.

   Let me help you! -Bah, you haven't been much of a help so far.

3. Used as a fortifier, or to confirm.

   Synonyms: toki, tottahan

   Totta kai minä sinua uskon!

   Of course I believe you!

   Kai sinä tämän tiedät!

   You know this, don't you!

Derived terms

• kaipa

 

Further reading

• “kai”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Anagrams

• Aki, aik.

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese cair. Cognate with Kabuverdianu kai.

Verb

kai

1. to fall

Hausa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Afroasiatic [Term?]. Cognates include Mangas ka, Polci kii, Miship ɡɨ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kái/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [kéi]

Pronoun

kai

1. you (2nd person singular subject pronoun)

See also

• mákà (2nd person singular indirect object enclitic pronoun)
• ká (2nd person singular independent object pronoun)
• -kà (2nd person singular possessive enclitic pronoun)

Etymology 2

Cognate with Bole kóːʔiː, Galambu kā, Gera ká, Deno kàá, Mangas kaam, Goemai kāː, Polci gaam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kâi/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [kâi]

Noun

kâi m (plural kāwunā̀, possessed form kâin)

1. head

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *tai (compare with Maori tai), from Proto-Oceanic *tasik, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tasik (compare with Malay tasik).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkai̯/, [ˈkɐj], [ˈkɛj] (rapid speech)

Noun

kai

1. sea

   i kai ― towards the sea

   makai ― on the seaside, toward the sea, in the direction of the sea

   o kai ― of the lowland, of the sea, seaward

   nā kānaka o kai ― shore dwellers

2. salt water
3. seaside, area near the sea, lowlands
4. tide, current in the sea
5. gravy, sauce, dressing, soup, broth

Derived terms

• Kai Make

See also

• wai
• moana

Verb

kai

1. (stative) to be insipid, brackish, tasteless

Interjection

kai

1. my, how much!; how very! how terrific!

   kai ka nani! ― how beautiful!

   kai ke kolohe! ― oh, how mischievous!

See also

• kainō
• keu

References

• Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Japanese

Romanization

kai

1. Rōmaji transcription of かい

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese cair.

Verb

kai

1. to fall

Karajá

Pronoun

kai

1. you, second-person singular pronoun

Usage notes

• This term is used in both women's and men's speech.

Derived terms

• kaiboho

References

• Michael Dunn, Gender determined dialect variation, in The Expression of Gender (edited by Greville G. Corbett)
• David Lee Fortune, Gramática Karajá: um Estudo Preliminar em Forma Transformacional

Khumi Chin

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kay, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ngay. Cognates include Hakka 𠊎 (ngài) and Burmese ငါ (nga).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kai̯˥/

Pronoun

kai

1. I

See also

Khumi Chin personal pronouns

	singular	plural
1st person	kai	kaiceL kaicheI
2nd person	nang	nangceL nangcheI
3rd person	äni	äniceL änicheI
Varieties of Khumi: L Lemi Chin, I Khimi Chin

References

• R. Shafer (1944) “Khimi Grammar and Vocabulary”, in Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, volume 11, number 2, page 419
• K. E. Herr (2011) The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎^[2], Payap University, page 44

Lithuanian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *kai; compare Old Prussian kāi (“when”), Latvian kâ(i) (“when”), Old Church Slavonic цѣ (cě, “and also, besides”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷoy; compare Ancient Greek ποῖ (poî, “whereto”). Perhaps ultimately the locative of Proto-Indo-European *kʷos, kʷis (“question particle”); see kas (“what”). Also, compare with tai (“that”).

Pronunciation

• (conjunction): IPA^(key): /kɐɪˑ/
• (particle): IPA^(key): /kɐɪ/

Conjunction

kaĩ

1. (in relative clauses) when, while, as

Particle

kai (unstressed)

1. (in conjunction with interrogative words) some, a certain (suggesting the complement is a known entity, but withheld)

   kai kàs - (a certain) something

   Àš táu kai ką̃ turiù - I have something for you.

   kai kadà - sometimes, in some cases

Derived terms

• kai kada
• kai kas
• kai katras
• kai koks
• kai kur
• kai kuris

 

Related terms

• tai
• kas
• kad
• kaip

See also

• kada
• kaž-, nors, bet

Livvi

Adverb

kai

1. all

Mandarin

Romanization

kai

1. Nonstandard spelling of kāi.
2. Nonstandard spelling of kǎi.
3. Nonstandard spelling of kài.

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən (compare with Malay makan, Tagalog kain), from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Verb

kai (passive form kainga)

1. to eat (to consume food)

Noun

kai

1. food

Derived terms

• hari kai (“a song for guests when they wait for food”)
• hoko kai (“to buy food”)
• huanga kai (“crop”)
• kai hamuti (“a contemptible person, a strong insult”) (vulgar, offensive)
• kai inati (“overdose”)
• pū kai (“esophagus”)
• rūma kai (“a dining room”)
• tunu kai (“cooking”)
• wāhi kai (“a restaurant”)

Related terms

• kaimoana (“seafood”)
• kainga (“refuse (inedible leftovers) of a meal”)
• wharekai (“a restaurant”)

Descendants

• → English: kai

Further reading

• Williams, Herbert William (1917) “kai”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 101-2
• “kai” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

Middle English

Noun

kai

1. Alternative form of keye (“key”)

North Frisian

Alternative forms

• koie (Mooring)
• Kai (Sylt)

Etymology

From Old Frisian kēi. Cognates include West Frisian kaai.

Noun

kai m (plural kaier)

1. (Föhr-Amrum) key

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Noun

kai m or f (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier, definite plural kaiene)

1. quay, wharf, dock

Derived terms

• ferjekai, fergekai
• kaikant

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Noun

kai f or m (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier or kaiar, definite plural kaiene or kaiane)

1. quay, wharf, dock

Derived terms

• ferjekai
• kaikant

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Portuguese cair and Spanish caer and Kabuverdianu kai.

Verb

kai

1. to fall

Derived terms

• kai abou

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Verb

kai

1. to eat (consume)

Noun

kai

1. food

Derived terms

• pātia kai

Adverb

kai

1. not

Southeastern Tepehuan

Etymology 1

From Proto-Uto-Aztecan *kapsi.

Noun

kai (plural kaakai)

1. thigh

Derived terms

• kairam

Etymology 2

Cognate with Northern Tepehuan káídɨ, O'odham kai.

Noun

kai

1. seed

Etymology 3

Verb

kai

1. preterite of kaayaꞌ

References

• Willett, Elizabeth, et al. (2016) Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 48)‎^[3], electronic edition, Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 100

Sundanese

Romanization

kai

1. Romanization of ᮊᮄ

Tok Pisin

Etymology

Borrowed from Polynesian, from Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Verb

kai

1. (transitive) to eat (consume)

Noun

kai

1. food

See also

• kaikai

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈka.i]
• Hyphenation: ka‧i

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

Verb

kai (plural kakai)

1. (transitive) to eat
2. (intransitive) to eat
3. (fishing, intransitive) to bite

Derived terms

• kaiga

 

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

Noun

kai

1. (cricket) run
2. (cricket) goal, point
3. (cricket) score

Etymology 3

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Tobanga kai and Nukuoro gai.

Particle

kai

1. Indicates disapproval and/or dissatisfaction.
2. Indicates regret that something didn't happen.

Synonyms

• (regret): kaina

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[4], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 142

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.i/

Noun

kai

1. food

Verb

kai

1. To eat

Derived terms

• kai maʻamaʻa

Tuvaluan

Adverb

kai

1. ever

Zou

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kai̯˧/

Verb

kai

1. (intransitive) to rise, ascend, go up

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kai̯˧˥/

Adjective

kái

1. askew
2. low

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kai̯˧˩/

Verb

kài

1. (transitive) pull, drag, draw

References

• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 63