Appendix:Cantonese Swadesh list

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

Presentation[edit]

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[edit]

EnglishCantonese
廣州話广州话 (gwong2 zau1 waa6-2)
edit (207)
IPA
(key)
1I (1sg) (ngo5)ŋɔː¹³
2you (2sg) (nei5)nei¹³
3he, she, it (3sg) (keoi5)kʰɵy¹³
4we (1pl)我哋 (ngo5 dei6)ŋɔː¹³ tei²²
5you (2pl)你哋 (nei5 dei6)nei¹³ tei²²
6they (3pl)佢哋 (keoi5 dei6)kʰɵy¹³ tei²²
7this (ni1), (ji1)niː⁵⁵, jiː⁵⁵
8that (go2)kɔː³⁵
9here呢度 (ni1 dou6), 依度 (ji1 dou6)niː⁵⁵ tou²², jiː⁵⁵ tou²²
10there嗰度 (go2 dou6)kɔː³⁵ tou²²
11who邊個边个 (bin1 go3), 乜誰乜谁 (mat1 seoi4-2)piːn⁵⁵ kɔː³³, mɐt̚⁵ sɵy̯²¹⁻³⁵
12what (mat1), 乜嘢 (mat1 je5), (me1)mɐt⁵, mɐt⁵ jɛː¹³, mɛː⁵⁵
13where邊度边度 (bin1 dou6), (bin1)piːn⁵⁵ tou²², piːn⁵⁵
14when幾時几时 (gei2 si4)kei³⁵ siː²¹
15how點樣点样 (dim2 joeng2), (dim2)tiːm³⁵ jœːŋ³⁵, tiːm³⁵
16not (m4), (mou5)m²¹, mou¹³
17all全部 (cyun4 bou6), (dou1), 冚唪唥 (ham6 baang6 laang6)tsʰyːn²¹ pou²², tou⁵⁵, hɐm²² päːŋ²² läːŋ²²
18many (do1)tɔː⁵⁵
19some (di1)tiː⁵⁵
20few (siu2)siːu³⁵
21other其他 (kei4 taa1), 第二啲 (dai6 ji6 di1), 第啲 (dai6 di1)kʰei²¹ tʰaː⁵⁵, tɐi²² jiː²² tiː⁵⁵, tɐi²² tiː⁵⁵
22one (jat1)jɐt⁵
23two (ji6), (loeng5)jiː²², lœːŋ¹³
24three (saam1)saːm⁵⁵
25four (sei3)sei³³
26five (ng5)ŋ¹³
27big (daai6)taːi²²
28long (coeng4)tsʰœːŋ²¹
29wide (fut3)fuːt³
30thick (hau5)hɐu¹³
31heavy (cung5)tsʰʊŋ¹³
32small (sai3)sɐi³³
33short (dyun2)tyːn³⁵
34narrow (zaak3)tsaːk³³
35thin (bok6)pɔːk²²
36woman女人 (neoi5 jan4-2)nɵy¹³ jɐn²¹⁻³⁵
37man (adult male)男人 (naam4 jan4-2)naːm²¹ jɐn²¹⁻³⁵
38man (human being) (jan4)jɐn²¹
39child細路细路 (sai3 lou6), 細路仔细路仔 (sai3 lou6 zai2)sɐi³³ lou²², sɐi³³ lou²² tsɐi³⁵
40wife老婆 (lou5 po4)lou¹³ pʰɔː²¹
41husband老公 (lou5 gung1)lou¹³ kʊŋ⁵⁵
42mother阿媽阿妈 (aa3 maa1), 老母 (lou5 mou5-2) (non-face-to-face)aː³³ maː⁵⁵, lou¹³ mou¹³⁻³⁵
43father阿爸 (aa3 baa4), 老豆 (lou5 dau6) (non-face-to-face)aː³³ paː²¹, lou¹³ tɐu²²
44animal動物动物 (dung6 mat6)tʊŋ²² mɐt²²
45fish (jyu4-2)jyː²¹⁻³⁵
46bird (zoek3-2), 雀仔 (zoek3 zai2)tsœːk³³⁻³⁵, tsœːk³³ tsɐi³⁵
47dog (gau2)kɐu³⁵
48louse (sat1)sɐt⁵⁵
49snake (se4)sɛː²¹
50worm (cung4)tsʰʊŋ²¹
51tree (syu6)syː²²
52forest森林 (sam1 lam4)sɐm⁵⁵ lɐm²¹
53stick樹枝树枝 (syu6 zi1) (of a tree), (gwan3)syː²² tsiː⁵⁵, kʷɐn³³
54fruit生果 (saang1 gwo2)saːŋ⁵⁵ kʷɔː³⁵
55seed種子种子 (zung2 zi2)tsʊŋ³⁵ tsiː³⁵
56leaf (jip6)jiːp²
57root (gan1)kɐn⁵⁵
58bark (of a tree)樹皮树皮 (syu6 pei4)syː²² pei²¹
59flower (faa1)faː⁵⁵
60grass (cou2)tsʰou³⁵
61rope (sing4-2)sɪŋ²¹⁻³⁵
62skin (pei4)pʰei²¹
63meat (juk6)jʊk²²
64blood (hyut3)hyːt³
65bone (gwat1)kʷɐt⁵⁵
66fat (noun)脂肪 (zi1 fong1)tsi⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵
67egg (daan6-2)taːn²²⁻³⁵
68horn (gok3)kɔːk³
69tail (mei5)mei¹³
70feather羽毛 (jyu5 mou4)jyː¹³ mou²¹
71hair頭髮头发 (tau4 faat3) (on head), (mou4)tʰɐu²¹ faːt³³, mou²¹
72head (tau4)tʰɐu²¹
73ear耳仔 (ji5 zai2), (ji5)ji¹³ tsɐi³⁵, ji¹³
74eye (ngaan5)ŋaːn¹³
75nose (bei6), 鼻哥 (bei6 go1)pei²², pei²² kɔː⁵⁵
76mouth (zeoi2), (hau2)tsɵy³⁵, hɐu³⁵
77tooth (ngaa4)ŋaː²¹
78tongue (organ) (lei6)lei²²
79fingernail指甲 (zi2 gaap3)tsiː³⁵ kaːp³³
80foot (goek3)kœːk³
81leg (goek3), (teoi2)kœːk³, tʰɵy³⁵
82knee膝頭膝头 (sat1 tau4), 膝頭哥膝头哥 (sat1 tau4 go1)sɐt⁵ tʰɐu²¹, sɐt⁵ tʰɐu²¹ kɔː⁵⁵
83hand (sau2)sɐu³⁵
84wing (jik6)jɪk²
85belly (tou5)tʰou¹³
86guts (coeng4-2)tsœːŋ²¹⁻³⁵
87neck (geng2)kɛːŋ³⁵
88back背脊 (bui3 zek3)puːi³³ tsɛːk³
89breast (hung1), 心口 (sam1 hau2)hʊŋ⁵⁵, sɐm⁵⁵ hɐu³⁵
90heart (sam1)sɐm⁵⁵
91liver (gon1), 𬂀 (jeon6-2)kɔːn⁵⁵, jɵn²²⁻³⁵
92to drink (jam2)jɐm³⁵
93to eat (sik6)sɪk²
94to bite (ngaau5)ŋaːu¹³
95to suck (kap1), (zyut3)tsyːt³³
96to spit𦧲 (loe1), (tou3, tu1)lœː⁵⁵, tʰou³³, tʰuː⁵⁵
97to vomit (au2)ɐu³⁵
98to blow (ceoi1)tsɵy⁵⁵
99to breathe敨氣敨气 (tau2 hei3), 呼吸 (fu1 kap1)tʰɐu³⁵ hei³³, fuː⁵⁵ kʰɐp⁵
100to laugh (siu3)siu³³
101to see (gin3), (tai2)kiːn³³, tʰɐi³⁵
102to hear (teng1)tʰɛːŋ⁵⁵
103to know (zi1), 知道 (zi1 dou3)tsiː⁵⁵, tsiː⁵⁵ tou³³
104to think (nam2)nɐm³⁵
105to smell (man4)mɐn²¹
106to fear (geng1), (paa3)kɛːŋ⁵⁵, pʰaː³³
107to sleep𰥛 (fan3), 瞓覺𰥛觉 (fan3 gaau3)fɐn³³, fɐn³³ kaːu³³
108to live (saang1)saːŋ⁵⁵
109to die (sei2)sei³⁵
110to kill (saat3)saːt³
111to fight (zaang1)tsaːŋ⁵⁵
112to hunt打獵打猎 (daa2 lip6)taː³⁵ liːp²
113to hit (daa2)taː³⁵
114to cut (cit3), (zin2)tsʰiːt³, tsin³⁵
115to split分開分开 (fan1 hoi1)fɐn⁵⁵ hɔːy⁵⁵
116to stab (caap3), (tung2)tsʰaːp³, tʰʊŋ³⁵
117to scratch (gwaat3), 𢯎 (ngaau1), (we2)kʷaːt³, ŋaːu⁵⁵, wɛː³⁵
118to dig (gwat6)kʷɐt²
119to swim游水 (jau4 seoi2)jɐu²¹ sɵy³⁵
120to fly (fei1)fei⁵⁵
121to walk (haang4)haːŋ²¹
122to come (lai4)lɐi²¹
123to lie (as in a bed)𰥛 (fan3)fɐn³³
124to sit (co5)tsʰɔː¹³
125to stand (kei5)kʰei¹³
126to turn (intransitive) (zyun3)tsyːn³³
127to fall (dit3)tiːt³
128to give (bei2)pei³⁵
129to hold (zaa1)tsaː⁵⁵
130to squeeze (gep6)kɛːp²
131to rub (caat3), (zeot1)tsʰaːt³, tsɵt⁵
132to wash (sai2)sɐi³⁵
133to wipe (maat3)maːt³
134to pull (laai1), (mang1)laːi⁵⁵, mɐŋ⁵⁵
135to push (teoi1), (ung2)tʰɵy⁵⁵, ʊŋ³⁵
136to throw (dam2), (deu6)tɐm³⁵, tɛːu²²
137to tie (bong2)pɔːŋ³⁵
138to sew (lyun4)lyːn²¹
139to count (sou2)sou³⁵
140to say (gong2), (waa6)kɔŋ³⁵, waː²²
141to sing (coeng3)tsʰœŋ³³
142to play (waan2)waːn³⁵
143to float (fau4)fɐu²¹
144to flow (lau4)lɐu²¹
145to freeze結冰结冰 (git3 bing1)kiːt³ pɪŋ⁵⁵
146to swell (zoeng3)tsœŋ³³
147sun太陽太阳 (taai3 joeng4), 日頭日头 (jat6 tau4-2), 熱頭热头 (jit6 tau4-2)tʰaːi³³ jœŋ²¹, jɐt² tʰɐu²¹⁻³⁵, jiːt² tʰɐu²¹⁻³⁵
148moon月亮 (jyut6 loeng6)jyːt² lœŋ²²
149star (sing1)sɪŋ⁵
150water (seoi2)sɵy³⁵
151rain (jyu5)jyː¹³
152river (ho4)hɔː²¹
153lake (wu4)wuː²¹
154sea (hoi2)hɔːy³⁵
155salt (jim4)jiːm²¹
156stone (sek6), 石頭石头 (sek6 tau4)sɛːk², sɛːk² tʰɐu²¹
157sand (saa1)saː⁵⁵
158dust (can4)tsʰɐn²¹
159earth (nai4)nɐi²¹
160cloud (wan4)wɐn²¹
161fog (mou6)mou²²
162sky (tin1)tiːn⁵⁵
163wind (fung1)fʊŋ⁵⁵
164snow (syut3)syːt³
165ice (bing1)pɪŋ⁵⁵
166smoke (jin1)jiːn⁵⁵
167fire (fo2)fɔː³⁵
168ash (fui1)fuːi⁵⁵
169to burn (siu1)siːu⁵⁵
170road (lou6)lou²²
171mountain (saan1)saːn⁵⁵
172red (hung4)hʊŋ²¹
173green绿 (luk6)lʊk²
174yellow (wong4)wɔŋ²¹
175white (baak6)paːk²
176black (hak1)hɐk⁵
177night夜晚 (je6 maan5), 夜晚黑 (je6 maan5 hak1), 晚黑 (maan5 hak1), 晚頭晚头 (maan5 tau4-2)jɛː²² maːn¹³, jɛː²² maːn¹³ hɐk⁵, maːn¹³ hɐk⁵, maːn¹³ tʰɐu²¹⁻³⁵
178day日頭日头 (jat6 tau4-2)jɐt² tʰɐu²¹⁻³⁵
179year (nin4)nin²¹
180warm (nyun5)nyːn¹³
181cold (dung3)tʊŋ³³
182full滿 (mun5)muːn¹³
183new (san1)sɐn⁵⁵
184old (lou5) (of high age), (gau6) (not new)lou¹³, kɐu²²
185good (hou2)hou³⁵
186bad (waai6)waːi²²
187rotten (laan6)laːn²²
188dirty污糟 (wu1 zou1), 邋遢 (laat6 taat3)wuː⁵⁵ tsou⁵⁵, laːt² tʰaːt³
189straight (zik6)tsɪk²
190round (jyun4)jyːn²¹
191sharp (as a knife) (lei6)lei²²
192dull (as a knife) (deon6), (gwat6)tɵn²², kʷɐt²
193smooth (waat6)waːt²
194wet湿 (sap1)sɐp⁵
195dry (gon1)kɔːn⁵⁵
196correct (ngaam1)ŋaːm⁵⁵
197near (kan5)kʰɐn¹³
198far (jyun5)jyːn¹³
199right (jau6)jɐu²²
200left (zo2)tsɔː³⁵
201at (hai2), (hoeng2)hɐi³⁵, hœŋ³⁵
202in裡便里便 (leoi5 bin6), 入便 (jap6 bin6), 裡面里面 (leoi5 min6), 入面 (jap6 min6)lɵy¹³ biːn²², jɐp² piːn²², lɵy¹³ miːn²², jɐp² miːn²²
203with (tung4)tʰʊŋ²¹
204and (tung4), 同埋 (tung4 maai4)tʰʊŋ²¹, tʰʊŋ²¹ maːi²¹
205if如果 (jyu4 gwo2)jyː²¹ kʷɔː³⁵
206because因為因为 (jan1 wai6)jɐn⁵⁵ wɐi²²
207name (meng4-2)mɛːŋ²¹⁻³⁵
Swadesh lists
Individual languages
Language families, family branches, and geographic groupings
Constructed languages
Reconstructed proto-languages
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