bai

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bai"

Languages (31)

Translingual • English

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Basque • Borôro • Catalan • French • Gothic • Iban • Italian • Jamaican Creole • Japanese • Kabuverdianu • Mandarin • Palauan • Pangasinan • Papiamentu • Polish • Pumpokol • Rennellese • Rohingya • Romanian • Sakizaya • Sika • Sranan Tongo • Tày • Ternate • Tok Pisin • Tyap • Vietnamese • Volapük • Welsh

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Page categories

Translingual

Symbol

bai

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Bamileke languages.

English

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Mbeli Bai in the Congo.

Noun

bai (plural bais)

1. A marshy meadow in sub-Saharan Africa.
   • 2012 August 23, Nick Middleton, Surviving Extremes: Ice, Jungle, Sand and Swamp, Pan Macmillan, →ISBN, page 84:

     One thing about the bais that I hadn't fully taken on board while reading about them was that they tend to be waterlogged because they are usually associated with marshes, streams or springs. […] venturing into the bai, but […] plunging into the bai because […]

   • 2012, David Quammen, Spillover, →ISBN, page 64:

     Gorillas (and other wildlife) frequent such bais, which are waterlogged and sunny, because of the sodium-rich sedges and asters that grow beneath the open sky.

Etymology 2

Interjection

bai

1. (Internet slang) Eye dialect spelling of bye.

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Japanese 霾 (bai). First recorded in English in the 1910s.

Noun

bai (plural bais)

1. A yellow mist occurring in spring and fall in China and Japan, caused by yellow dust blown from central China.

See also

• cheebai

Anagrams

• ABI, AIB, Abi, B.I.A., BIA, Bia, IAB, IBA, Iba

Basque

Basque phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bai̯/ [bai̯]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ai̯
• Hyphenation: bai

Interjection

bai

1. yes

   Antonym: ez

Further reading

• “bai”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “bai”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Borôro

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bai̯/

Noun

bai

1. house

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin badius, possibly via Spanish bayo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈbaj]
• Rhymes: -aj

Adjective

bai (feminine baia, masculine plural bais, feminine plural baies)

1. bay (colour)

Related terms

• baieta

Further reading

• “bai”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “bai”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “bai” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “bai”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French bai, from Latin badius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛ/

Adjective

bai (feminine baie, masculine plural bais, feminine plural baies)

1. bay (of a reddish-brown colour)

Derived terms

• chat bai

Further reading

• “bai”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Gothic

Romanization

bai

1. romanization of 𐌱𐌰𐌹

Iban

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baiʔ/
• Rhymes: -aiʔ
• Hyphenation: bai

Verb

bai

1. to bring

Italian

Adjective

bai

1. masculine plural of baio

Jamaican Creole

Etymology 1

Derived from English by.

Preposition

bai

1. by
   • 2023, Yuunivorshal Deklarieshan a Yuuman Raits, United Nations, Aatikl 17:

     Evribadi av di rait fi uon prapati bai demself ar wid ada piipl.

     Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

     (literally, “Everybody have the right to own property by themselves with other people.”)

Etymology 2

Derived from English buy.

Verb

bai

1. buy
   • 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Matyu 13:46:

     Wen im fain wan we wot uol iip a moni, im sel evriting we im uon an go bai it.

     When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.

     (literally, “When [a pearl trader] found one worth a whole heap of money, he sold everything he owned and went to buy it.”)

Further reading

• bai at majstro.com

Japanese

Romanization

bai

1. Rōmaji transcription of ばい
2. Rōmaji transcription of バイ

Kabuverdianu

Alternative forms

• bá (Barlavento)

Etymology

From Portuguese vai (the third-person singular of ir (to go).

Verb

bai

1. (Sotavento)to go

References

• Gonçalves, Manuel (2015), Capeverdean Creole-English dictionary (overall work in English), Mili Mila, →ISBN
• Veiga, Manuel (2012), Dicionário Caboverdiano-Português, Instituto da Biblioteca Nacional e do Livro

Mandarin

Romanization

bai (bai⁵ / bai⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄅㄞ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 㗑

Romanization

bai

1. nonstandard spelling of bāi
2. nonstandard spelling of bái
3. nonstandard spelling of bǎi
4. nonstandard spelling of bài

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.

Palauan

Etymology

From Pre-Palauan *baye, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *balay. Doublet of blai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baj/

Noun

bai

1. house (abode)
2. community meetinghouse

References

• bai in Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary, at tekinged.com.
• bai in Palauan-English Dictionary, at trussel2.com.
• bai in Lewis S. Josephs; Edwin G. McManus; Masa-aki Emesiochel (1977), Palauan-English Dictionary, University Press of Hawaii, →ISBN, page 5.

Pangasinan

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *bahi

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bahi

Proto-Philippine *bahi

Pangasinan bai

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *bahi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bahi, from Proto-Austronesian *bahi.

Noun

bai

1. grandmother

   Coordinate term: laki

Papiamentu

Alternative forms

• bay (Aruba)

Etymology

From Portuguese vai (the third-person singular of ir (to go) and Spanish vaya and Kabuverdianu bai.

Verb

bai

1. to go

   Kon ta bai?

   How is it going?

2. to walk

Derived terms

• bai leu

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.i/
• Rhymes: -ai
• Syllabification: ba‧i

Noun

bai f

1. genitive/dative/locative singular of baja

Pumpokol

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Yeniseian *bej (“wind”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baj/

Noun

bai (plural unknown)

1. wind

Further reading

• Портфель Миллера in Russian state archives, foilo 199.
• Werner, Heinrich K. (2005), Die Jenissej-Sprachen des 18. Jahrhunderts (in German), Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz KG, →ISBN, page 179

Rennellese

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

bai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Samuel H. Elbert (1975), Dictionary of the Language of Rennell and Bellona, Copenhagen: National Museum of Denmark, →ISBN, page 31

Rohingya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba͡i/

Preposition

bai

1. along.
2. through.

Romanian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *bʰoyh₂ós

Proto-Balto-Slavic *bajas

Proto-Slavic *bojь

Serbo-Croatian boj

Hungarian bajbor.

Romanian bai

Borrowed from Hungarian baj, from Serbo-Croatian boj (“battle”), from Proto-Slavic *bojь.

Noun

bai n (plural baiuri)

1. (Transylvania) trouble

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	bai	baiul	baiuri	baiurile
genitive-dative	bai	baiului	baiuri	baiurilor
vocative	baiule		baiurilor

Sakizaya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ˈi/, [ba.ˈi]

Noun

bai

1. grandmother

Sika

Noun

bai

1. woman

References

• Austronesian Comparative Dictionary: bai
• ABVD: wai

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

From English buy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bai̯/, [ba̠i̯], [bɑ̟i̯]

Verb

bai

1. to buy

Derived terms

• baiman (“buyer”)

Tày

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA^(key): [ɓaːj˧˧]
• (Trùng Khánh) IPA^(key): [ɓaːj˦˥]

Etymology 1

Noun

bai

1. a type of hoe

   au bai bjai nhả ― use the hoe to cut grass

   bai xu ― pickaxe

Verb

bai

1. to hoe

   bai đin ― to hoe dirt

Etymology 2

Noun

bai

1. ladle

   Synonyms: bôi, buôi, pèo

   bai nặm keng ― broth ladle

Etymology 3

Verb

bai

1. to mix

   khẩu nua bai thúa ― sticky riced mixed with beans

Etymology 4

Verb

bai

1. to block; to cover

References

• Lương Bèn (2011), Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎^[2][3] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
• Léopold Michel Cadière (1910), Dictionnaire Tày-Annamite-Français [Tày-Vietnamese-French Dictionary]‎^[4] (in French), Hanoi: Impressions d'Extrême-Orient

Ternate

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈba.i]

Verb

bai

1. (transitive) to show

Conjugation

Conjugation of bai

		singular	plural
			inclusive	exclusive
1st person		tobai	fobai	mibai
2nd person		nobai	nibai
3rd person	masculine	obai	ibai yobai (archaic)
	feminine	mobai
	neuter	ibai

Etymology 2

bai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈba.i]

Noun

bai

1. any member of the species Etelis carbunculus and Etelis radiosus of snappers

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tok Pisin

Alternative forms

• baimbai (archaic)

Etymology

From English by and by. Cognate with Bislama and Pijin bai.

Particle

bai

1. will; to be going (to do something); marks future tense.
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:26:

     Bihain God i tok olsem, “Nau yumi wokim ol manmeri bai ol i kamap olsem yumi yet. Bai yumi putim ol i stap bos bilong ol pis na ol pisin na bilong olgeta kain animal na bilong olgeta samting bilong graun.”

     Then God said, "Now let us make people who will become like us. We'll put them in charge of the fish and the birds, of all kinds of animals and of all things on the ground."

2. so that; to; introducing purposive clauses with a different subject from the matrix clause.

   Mi laik bai yu stap bel isi.

   I want you to feel safe/relaxed.

   Na ol i save askim mi long mekim stretpela pasin long ol na stap klostu long ol, bai em i ken amamas.

   And they always ask me to treat them justly and stay close to them so that they may feel secure.

See also

Tok Pisin tense and aspect markers:

• pinis (completive aspect)
• bin (past tense)
• stap (progressive aspect or durative aspect)
• save (habitual aspect)
• bai/baimbai (future tense)

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 6

Tyap

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bai/

Verb

bai

1. to come

Vietnamese

Etymology

Borrowed from English bye.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːj˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːj˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʔɓaːj˧˧]

Phrase

bai

1. (informal, slang) bye

Synonyms

• chào
• tạm biệt (literary or formal)

Derived terms

• bái bai

Volapük

Preposition

bai

1. according

Derived terms

• baiot

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bai̯/
• Rhymes: -ai̯

Noun

bai m (plural beiau)

1. blame

   Synonym: methiant

   Arnat ti roedd y bai.

   You were to blame.

   (literally, “The blame was upon you.”)

Derived terms

• ar fai (“to blame”)
• beius (“defective”)
• syrthio ar ei fai (“to acknowledge fault”)
• taro'r bai ar (“to put the blame on, to blame”)
• difai (“blameless”)

Verb

bai

1. third-person singular imperfect subjunctive of bod

   Synonyms: basai, byddai, tasai, tai

Mutation

Mutated forms of bai

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
bai	fai	mai	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• D. G. Lewis, N. Lewis, editors (2005–present), “bai”, in Gweiadur: the Welsh–English Dictionary, Gwerin
• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “bai”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies