Appendix:Eastern Min Swadesh list

This is a Swadesh list of words in Eastern Min, compared with definitions in English.

Presentation

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For further information, including the full final version of the list, read the Wikipedia article: Swadesh list.

American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.

List

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EnglishEastern Min
閩東語 / 闽东语 (mìng-dĕ̤ng-ngṳ̄)
edit (207)
IPA
1I (1sg) (nguāi)ŋuai³³
2you (2sg) (nṳ̄)ny³³
3he, she, it (3sg) (ĭ)i⁵⁵
4we (1pl)我各儂 / 我各侬 (nguāi gáuk→gó̤k-nè̤ng)ŋuai³³ koʔ²⁴⁻²¹ nøŋ⁵³
5you (2pl)汝各儂 / 汝各侬 (nṳ̄ gáuk→gó̤k-nè̤ng)ny³³ koʔ²⁴⁻²¹ nøŋ⁵³
6they (3pl)伊各儂 / 伊各侬 (ĭ gáuk→gó̤k-nè̤)i⁵⁵ koʔ²⁴⁻²¹ nøŋ⁵³
7this / 𪢕 (cuòi), 茲隻 / 兹只tsui⁵³, tsi⁵⁵ ʒiɛʔ³⁵
8that / (huòi), 許隻 / 许只 (hī-ciáh→ciéh)hui⁵³, hi⁵⁵ ʒiɛʔ³⁵
9here嚽塊 / 𪢕块 (cŭ-uái), 嚽所 / 𪢕所tsu⁵⁵ uɑi²¹³, tsø³⁵ nø³³
10there夫塊 / 夫块, 夫所hu⁵⁵ uɑi²¹³, hø³⁵ nø³³
11who底儂 / 底侬 (diē→dié-nè̤ng, dē̤→dé̤-nè̤ng)tie⁵⁵ nøŋ⁵³
12what什乇 (sié-nó̤h, siéh-nó̤h)sie⁵³ nɔʔ³⁵
13where底所 (diē-nē̤, dē̤-nē̤)tie⁵³ nø³³
14when什乇辰候siɛ²¹ no⁵³ sɑiŋ²¹ ɑu²⁴²
15how / (ciōng)tsuɔŋ²⁴²
16not (îng), 伓是 (îng-sê)iŋ⁵³, iŋ⁵³ nei²⁴²
17all全部 (ciòng-buô), 所有 (sū-iū), 一切tsuɔŋ²¹ buɔ²⁴², su³⁵ iu³³, i⁵⁵ tsʰiɛʔ³⁵
18many (cá̤)sɑ²⁴²
19some仂囝 (nék→ník-giāng)neiʔ³⁵ kiaŋ³³
20few (ciēu)tsieu³³
21other其他 (gì-tă)ki⁵⁵ tʰa⁵⁵
22one (siŏh), (ék)suɔ⁵⁵, eiʔ³⁵
23two / (lâng), ()lɑŋ²⁴², nei²⁴²
24three (săng)saŋ⁵⁵
25four ()sei²¹³
26five (ngô)ŋou²⁴²
27big (duâi)tuɑi²⁴²
28long / (dòng)touŋ⁵³
29wide / (kuăng)kʰuaŋ⁵⁵
30thick (gâu)kɑu²⁴²
31heavy (dâe̤ng)tɔyŋ²⁴²
32small (nâung)nɑuŋ²⁴²
33short (dōi)tɔi³³
34narrow (cáh)tsiaʔ³⁵
35thin (bŏk)pɔʔ⁵⁵
36woman女界 (nṳ̄-gái)ny³³ ɑi²¹³
37man (adult male)男界 (nàng-gái)nɑŋ²¹ ŋɑi²¹³
38man (human being) / (nè̤ng)nøŋ⁵³
39child伲囝 (niê-giāng)nie⁵³ iaŋ³³
40wife老媽 / 老妈 (lâu-mā)lau⁵³ ma³³
41husband唐餔 / 唐𫗦 (dòng-buŏ)touŋ⁵⁵ muo⁵⁵
42mother娘奶 (nòng-nā̤)nouŋ³³ ne³³
43father郎爸nɔuŋ²¹ mɑ²⁴²
44animal動物 / 动物 (dông-ŭk)tuŋ⁵⁵ uʔ⁵⁵
45fish / (ngṳ̀)ŋy⁵³
46bird鳥囝 / 鸟囝tsiɛu³⁵ iaŋ³³
47dog犬囝 (kēng-giāng)kʰeiŋ³⁵ iaŋ³³
48louse蝨母 / 虱母 (sáik-mō̤)saiʔ³⁵ mo³³
49snake老蛇 (lâu-siè)lau⁵⁵ lie⁵³
50worm蟲囝 / 虫囝 (tè̤ng-giāng)tʰœŋ³³ ŋiaŋ³³
51tree / (chéu)tsʰieu²¹³
52forest森林 (sĕng-lìng)seŋ⁵⁵ liŋ⁵³
53stick樹椏 / 树桠tsʰieu⁵³ ŋa³³
54fruit果實 / 果实kuo³³ siʔ⁵⁵
55seed子子 (cī-*cī)tsi³³ tsi³³
56leaf箬箬 (niŏh-niŏh)nuoʔ⁵⁵ nuoʔ⁵⁵
57root根根kyŋ⁵⁵ kyŋ⁵⁵
58bark (of a tree)樹皮 / 树皮tsʰiɛu⁵⁵ pʰoi⁵³
59flower (huă)hua⁵⁵
60grass (chāu)tsʰau³³
61rope (só̤h)sɔʔ³⁵
62skin皮膚 / 皮肤 (puòi-hŭ)pʰoi⁵⁵ u⁵⁵
63meat (nṳ̆k)nyʔ⁵⁵
64blood (háik)hɑiʔ³⁵
65bone骨骨 (gáuk-gáuk)kɑu²¹ kauʔ³⁵
66fat (noun)脂肪 (ciĕ-huòng)tsie⁵⁵ uoŋ⁵³
67egg (lâung)lɑuŋ²⁴²
68horn角角 (gáe̤k-gáe̤k)køy²¹ køyʔ³⁵
69tail尾尾 (muōi-muōi)muoi³³ muoi³³
70feather羽毛 (ṳ̄-mò̤)y²¹ mo⁵³
71hair頭髮 / 头发 (tàu-huók)tʰɑu²¹ uɔʔ³⁵
72head / (tàu)tʰau⁵³
73ear (ngê)ŋei²⁴²
74eye目睭 (mĕk-ciŭ)meiʔ⁵⁵ tsiu⁵⁵
75nose ()pʰei²¹³
76mouth (chói)tsʰui²¹³
77tooth (ngāi)ŋai³³
78tongue (organ)喙舌 (ché̤ṳ-siĕk)tsʰy⁵⁵ lieʔ⁵⁵
79fingernail掌甲 (ciēng-gák)tsʰieŋ⁵⁵ ŋɑʔ³⁵
80footkʰa⁵⁵
81leg骹腿 (kă-tōi)kʰa⁵³ løy³³
82knee骹屈頭 / 骹屈头kʰɑ²¹ u²¹ tʰau⁵³
83hand (chiū)tsʰiu³³
84wing翼翼 (sĭk-sĭk)siʔ⁵⁵ siʔ⁵⁵
85belly腹老 (bók-lō̤)pu³⁵ lo³³
86guts / (dòng)toŋ⁵³
87neck脰骨 (dâu-gáuk)ta⁵³ ɑuʔ³⁵
88back骿 (piăng)pʰiaŋ⁵⁵
89breast??neiŋ⁵⁵ neiŋ⁵⁵
90heart心臟 / 心脏 (sĭng-câung)sing⁵³ ʒɑuŋ²⁴²
91liver肝臟 / 肝脏 (găng-câung)kaŋ⁵³ ʒɑuŋ²⁴²
92to drinktsʰuɔʔ³⁵
93to eatsieʔ⁵⁵
94to bitekɑ²⁴²
95to suck, ŋeiʔ³⁵, sɔʔ³⁵
96to spit, pʰui⁵³, tou²¹³
97to vomit (áe̤h→é̤h)œʔ³⁵
98to blow (chuŏi), tsʰui⁵⁵, puŋ⁵³
99to breathe呼吸 (hù-ngék)hu²¹ ŋeiʔ³⁵
100to laugh (chiéu)tsʰiɛu²¹³
101to see / (ché̤ṳ)tsʰøy²¹³
102to hear / tʰiaŋ⁵⁵
103to know (báik)pɑiʔ³⁵
104to think (siōng)suoŋ³³
105to smell ()pei²⁴²
106to fear / kiaŋ⁵⁵
107to sleep / (káung)kʰɑuŋ²¹³
108to livetieu²⁴²
109to diesi³³
110to kill (tài)tʰai⁵³
111to fight相拍 (siŏng-*páh)soŋ⁵³ pʰɑʔ³⁵
112to hunt / (tō̤)tʰo³³
113to hit (páh)pʰɑʔ³⁵
114to cut, (siók)kʰaŋ³³, suɔʔ³⁵
115to splitpuoŋ⁵⁵
116to stabkiʔ⁵⁵
117to scratch ()pa⁵³
118to dig ()ua⁵⁵
119to swim (siù)siu⁵³
120to fly / puoi⁵⁵
121to walkkiaŋ⁵³
122to come / li⁵³
123to lie (as in a bed)to³³
124to sitsuɑi²⁴²
125to stand (kiê)kʰiɛ²⁴²
126to turn (intransitive) / tuoŋ³³
127to fall / 𰺲 (dâung)tɑuŋ²⁴²
128to give (ké̤ṳk)kʰøyʔ³⁵
129to hold (dò̤)to⁵³
130to squeeze / niɛʔ³⁵
131to rubmuai⁵³
132to wash (sā̤)se³³
133to wipe (chék)tsʰeiʔ³⁵
134to pull / kʰeiŋ⁵⁵
135to push (tiāng)tiaŋ³³
136to throwkøʔ⁵⁵
137to tie / (buŏh)puɔʔ⁵⁵
138to sew / 𬘜 (tiéng)tʰieŋ²¹³
139to count / sɑuŋ²¹³
140to say / (gōng)koŋ³³
141to sing (chióng)tsʰuɔŋ²¹³
142to play客佻 (káh-dièu)kʰa⁵⁵ lieu⁵³
143to floatpʰu⁵³
144to flowlau⁵³
145to freeze結冰 / 结冰kiɛ²¹ piŋ⁵⁵
146to swell / (cṳ̄ng)tsyŋ³³
147sun日頭 / 日头 (nĭk-tàu)niʔ⁵⁵ tʰau⁵³
148moon (nguŏk)ŋuoʔ⁵⁵
149star星星 (sĭng sĭng)siŋ⁵⁵ siŋ⁵⁵
150watertsui³³
151rainy³³
152river (ò̤)o⁵³
153lake ()hu⁵³, u⁵³
154sea (hāi)hai³³
155salt / sieŋ⁵³
156stonesuoʔ⁵⁵
157sandsai⁵⁵
158dust塕塵 / 塕尘 (ŭng-dìng)uŋ⁵⁵ niŋ⁵³
159earthtʰu⁵³
160cloud / (hùng)huŋ⁵³
161fog / (ô)ɔ²⁴²
162sky (tiĕng)tʰieŋ⁵⁵
163wind / (hŭng)huŋ⁵⁵
164snow (siók)suɔʔ³⁵
165ice (bĭng)piŋ⁵⁵
166smoke / (iĕng)ieŋ⁵⁵, hoŋ⁵⁵
167firehuoi³³
168ash (huŏi)u⁵⁵
169to burn / (siĕu)sieu⁵⁵
170road / 𰉣 (diô)tuɔ²⁴²
171mountain (săng)saŋ⁵⁵
172red / øyŋ⁵³
173green / 绿luoʔ⁵⁵
174yellow / (uòng)uoŋ⁵³
175whitepaʔ⁵⁵
176black / (ŭ)u⁵⁵
177night暝晡 (màng-buŏ)maŋ⁵⁵ muo⁵⁵
178day日中 (nĭk-dŏng)niʔ⁵⁵ toŋ⁵⁵
179year (nièng)nieŋ⁵³
180warm / (iĕk)ieʔ⁵⁵
181cold (chéng)tsʰeiŋ²¹³
182full滿 / muaŋ³³
183new (sĭng)siŋ⁵⁵
184old / kou²⁴²
185goodho³³
186bad (ngài)ŋai⁵³
187rotten飲腐 / 饮腐aŋ⁵⁵ pou²⁴²
188dirty拉渣la⁵⁵ ʒia⁵⁵
189straight (dĭk)tiʔ⁵⁵
190round / ,  / (kuàng)ieŋ⁵³, kʰuaŋ⁵³
191sharp (as a knife)lɛ²¹³
192dull (as a knife)𣍐利 / 𫧃利mɛ⁵³ lɛ²¹³
193smoothkoʔ⁵⁵
194wet / , 潮濕 / 潮湿,  / (lâng)nɔŋ²¹³, tieu²¹³, lɑŋ²⁴²
195dryta⁵⁵
196correct正確 / 正确 (ciáng-káuk), 無綻 / 无绽tsiaŋ⁵³ kɑuʔ³⁵, mɔ²¹ lɑŋ²⁴²
197near (gê̤ṳng), 接近køyŋ²⁴², tsieʔ⁵⁵ køyŋ²⁴²
198far / huɔŋ²⁴²
199right (iêu)iɛu²⁴²
200left (cō̤)tso³³
201at, kaʔ⁵⁵, tuoʔ⁵⁵
202in裡勢 / 里势 (diē-sié)tie⁵⁵ liɛ²¹³
203withkøyŋ²⁴²
204andkøyŋ²⁴²
205if若是 (iŏk-sê), 如果 (ṳ̀-guō)na⁵² lei²⁴², y³³ kuo³³
206because因為 / 因为 (ĭng-ôi)iŋ⁵³ uoi²⁴²
207name名字 (miàng-cê)miɑŋ²¹ ʒei²⁴²

Pronunciation: The pronunciation shown is the standard pronunciation in Fuzhou.

Depending on the speakers and the area, the actual pronunciation may differ, more or less significantly, from the shown pronunciation.

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