wai

See also: WAI, Wai, wAi, wài, wāi, wǎi, and wa'i

Languages (55)

English

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Aka-Bea • Antigua and Barbuda Creole English • 'Are'are • Arosi • Balinese • Buli (Indonesia) • Central Tagbanwa • Duri • Fijian • Gothic • Hadza • Hawaiian • Jamaican Creole • Japanese • Kambera • Kapingamarangi • Laboya • Lamaholot • Lau • Malay • Mamasa • Mamuju • Mandarin • Māori • Masiwang • Middle English • Nauete • Naxi • Neko • North Frisian • North Tukang Besi • Old Javanese • Omba • Oroha • Owa • Palu'e • Pitjantjatjara • Pukapukan • Raga • Sa'a • Saterland Frisian • Sikaiana • Siroi • Sula • Tae' • Tangoa • Tinrin • Tocharian B • Torres Strait Creole • Viti • Waima'a • Waropen • West Makian • Ye'kwana

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Page categories

English

Students performing wai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waɪ/, /weɪ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ, -eɪ

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Thai ไหว้ (wâi, “a gesture of thanks”).

Noun

wai (plural wais)

1. A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow.

Translations

Thai greeting

• Burmese: ဝေး (my) (we:), ဝေ့ (my) (we.), ဝေ (my) (we)
• Indonesian: sembah (id) (a similar greeting)
• Japanese: ワイ (ja) (wai)
• Khmer: សំពះ (km) (sɑmpeah)
• Korean: 와이 (wai)
• Lao: ນົບ (nop)
• Malay: sembah (ms) (a similar greeting)
• Russian: вай (ru) m or n (vaj)
• Shan: ဝႆႈ (shn) (wāi)
• Thai: ไหว้ (th) (wâai)
• Vietnamese: vái (vi)

Etymology 2

Phonetic respelling of why.

Adverb

wai (not comparable)

1. (Internet slang) why (a purposeful misspelling)

Anagrams

• IAW, WIA, iwa

Aka-Bea

Adverb

wai

1. indeed

References

• Edward Horace Man, A Dictionary of the South Andaman (Aka-Bea) language (1923)

Antigua and Barbuda Creole English

Etymology

From English why.

Adverb

wai

1. why

'Are'are

wai

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wai/
• Hyphenation: wai

Noun

wai

1. fresh water (clear liquid H₂O)

   Antonym: aasi (“salt water”)

   Horo'a na roto rao-na wai na, na tapo-a te i'a paina.

   When I swam in the water, I caught a big fish.

References

• Naitoro, Kateřina (2013) A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (Thesis)‎^[3], Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury, archived from the original on 2017-11-28

Arosi

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Fox, Charles E. (1978), “wai”, in Arosi Dictionary (Pacific Linguistics; C-24), Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, page 465
• Capell, Arthur (1971), Arosi Grammar (Pacific Linguistics; B-20), Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, page 59: “[Possessives of the] first and second persons precede the noun, whereas all others follow it, e.g. gugua wai, my drinking water, but wai 'ana, his drinking water.”

Balinese

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *waʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *waʀi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wa.i/

Noun

wai (Balinese script ᬯᬳᬶ)

1. day

Further reading

• “wai”, in Balinese–Indonesian Dictionary [Kamus Bahasa Bali–Indonesia] (in Balinese), Denpasar, Indonesia: The Linguistic Center of Bali Province [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Bali].

Buli (Indonesia)

Numeral

wai

1. eight

References

• G. Maan, Proeve van een Bulische spraakkunst (1951)

Central Tagbanwa

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai (Tagbanwa spelling ᝯᝡ)

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Robert A. Scebold, Central Tagbanwa: A Philippine Language on the Brink of Extinction : Sociolinguistics, Grammar, and Lexicon (2003)

Duri

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Language Documentation Training Center, Linguistic Society of Hawaii, Duri wordlist

Fijian

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water (inorganic compounds H₂O)

   e dua na bilo wai ― a cup of water

2. medicine, drug (substance which promotes healing)

   Synonym: wainimate

   E sega na kena wai.

   There is no cure/solution for that.

   (literally, “There is no medicine for that.”)

3. river, stream

   Au sivia na wai.

   I crossed the river.

4. (euphemistic, by extension, anatomy) genital fluids (vaginal fluids or semen)
5. (vulgar, by extension) vagina
6. (archaic) ten blocks of sea salt as ceremonial presentation
7. (archaic) ten Fijian puddings at formal occasions

Adjective

wai

1. (slang) drunk, intoxicated

   Sa wai tu o koya.

   S/he is drunk.

2. (of hair) soft, flowing (not tightly curled)

   ulu wai ― soft hair

Derived terms

• gunu wai ni bele (“to be reprimanded”) (idiom)
• ulu wai (“soft flowing hair”)
• ulu-ni-wai (“headwaters”)
• vakawaivaka-taka (“to improve with water, to rinse”)
• vale ni wai (“medical clinic”)
• wai dranu, wai droka (“freshwater”)
• wai lailai (“too concentrated (of drinks)”)
• wai laugunu (“potable water”)
• wai levu (“watery, dilute”)
• wai ni diva (“futile dream”, literally “water of dreams”) (idiom)
• wai ni gunu (“drinking water”)
• wai ni mata (“tears”)
• wai ni vanua (“kava”, literally “water of the land”) (ceremonial term)
• wai su, waibuta (“fish broth”)
• wai tui, waitui (“saltwater, sea”)
• waicala (“too dilute”)
• waicalataka (“to dilute, to melt”)
• waidiva (“futile fantasy”)
• waikama (“hot springs”)
• Wailevu (“Rewa River”, literally “big water”)
• wainimate (“medicine, chemical, drug”)
• wainimoli (“citrus juice”)
• waisou (“almost (happened)”)
• waite (“snack of grated coconut with bread/biscuits”)
• waiwai (“oil (vegetable, fuel, lubricating)”)
• waiwaiya (“fluid, flowing”)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “wai”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[4], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, pages 317–8

Gothic

Romanization

wai

1. romanization of 𐍅𐌰𐌹

Hadza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waʔi/

Determiner

wai ?

1. all (used with a possessive suffix)

Related terms

• waiko
• waina

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwai̯/, [ˈʋɐj], (rapid speech) [ˈʋɛj]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun

wai

2. water, especially of fresh sources

Derived terms

• kāwai
• Kawailani
• kinowai
• pāwai
• wai aliʻi
• Wai Momi
• wai pahū
• wai ʻala
• wai ʻeleʻele
• Waiehu
• Waiheʻe
• Waikapū
• Waikīkī
• Waikōloa
• Wailea
• Wailuku
• Waimalu
• waiū
• waiwai
• waiʻawa

Related terms

• kai

Etymology 2

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

Pronoun

wai

1. who

Etymology 3

Verb

wai

1. rare form of waiho (“to leave, deposit”)

References

• William Churchill (1911), The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced
• Pukui, Mary Kawena; Elbert, Samuel H. (1986), “wai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN
• Elbert, Samuel H.; Pukui, Mary Kawena (1979), Hawaiian Grammar, Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, page 67
• M. Ross, A. Pawley, M. Osmond, editors (2003), The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic‎^[5], volume 2: The Physical Environment, Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 58–9.
• wai in Combined Hawaiian Dictionary, at trussel2.com.

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Derived from English why.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wai/

Adverb

wai

1. why
   • 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Ruoman 11:33:

     […] Uu kyan se wai im mek op im main fi du di sitn dem we im du? […]

     […] You can see why he made up his mind to do the things he does?

Usage notes

• For asking questions, ou kom is used instead.

Japanese

Romanization

wai

1. Rōmaji transcription of わい
2. Rōmaji transcription of ワイ

Kambera

Etymology

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

Noun

wài

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Marian Klamer, A Grammar of Kambera

Kapingamarangi

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Laboya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [wa͡i]

Noun

wai

1. chin

References

• Allahverdi Verdizade (2019), “wai”, in Lamboya word list‎^[6], Leiden: LexiRumah

Lamaholot

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Kunio Nishyama, Herman Kelen, A Grammar of Lamaholot, Eastern Indonesia: The Morphology and Syntax of the Lewoingu Dialect (2007)
• ABVD

Lau

Noun

wai

1. water

See also

• kafo

References

• Joel Bradshaw, Word order change in Papua New Guinea Austronesian languages (1982), page 126
• Walter George Ivens, Grammar and vocabulary of the Lau language, Solomon Islands (1921), page 55

Malay

wai

Etymology

Borrowed from Lampungic, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ. Doublet of air.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wai/
• Rhymes: -ai, -i

Noun

wai (Jawi spelling واي, plural wai-wai or wai²)

1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)

   Synonyms: alir, alur, batang, bengawan, ci, kali, sungai

References

• “wai”, in Kamus Dewan [The Institute Dictionary] (in Malay), Fourth edition, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2005, →ISBN
• "wai" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "wai" at PRPM first version)

Mamasa

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• David F. Matti, Mamasa Pronoun Sets (1994)

Mamuju

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Kari K. Stromme, Person Marking in the Mamuju Language (1994)

Mandarin

Romanization

wai (wai⁵ / wai⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄨㄞ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 𠰻

wai

1. nonstandard spelling of wāi
2. nonstandard spelling of wǎi
3. nonstandard spelling of wài

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.

Māori

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwai/ [ˈwɐi]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
2. liquid
3. juice of plants from fruits etc.
   1. beverage from such liquids

      wai āporo ― apple juice

Derived terms

• hauwai
• wai māori
• waitoreke
• waiū
• waiwai
• wē

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Etymology 2

Compare Tahitian vai and Hawaiian wai. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronoun

wai

1. who?

Further reading

• Williams, Herbert William (1917), “wai”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 556–7
• John C. Moorfield (2011), “wai”, in Te Aka: Māori–English, English–Māori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, →ISBN

Masiwang

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• ABVD

Middle English

Noun

wai

1. alternative form of way

Nauete

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Naxi

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b(w)ay.

Adjective

wai

1. left

References

• Naxi Dictionary by T.M. Pinson, Lijiang 2012

Neko

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Transnewguinea.org, citing McElhanon and Voorhoeve (1970)
• J. Bullock, R. Gray, H. Paris, D. Pfantz, D. Richardson, A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Yabong, Migum, Nekgini, and Neko (2016)

North Frisian

Alternative forms

• wäi (Mooring)
• Wai (Heligoland, Sylt)

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wegaz.

Pronunciation

• (Föhr-Amrum) IPA^(key): [vaːɪ̯]

Noun

wai m (plural waier)

1. (Föhr-Amrum) way

North Tukang Besi

Noun

wai

1. mosquito

References

• Mark Donohue (1999), A Grammar of Tukang Besi, Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, page 548

Old Javanese

Etymology 1

Noun

wai

1. alternative spelling of we (“sun, day”)

Etymology 2

Noun

wai

1. alternative spelling of wwe (“water”)

Further reading

• "wai" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Omba

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Catriona Hyslop, The Lolovoli Dialect of the North-East Ambae Language: Vanuatu (2001)
• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
• Darrell T. Tryon, New Hebrides languages: an internal classification (1976)

Oroha

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• W. G. Ivens, A Study of the Oroha Language, Mala, Solomon Islands, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London, volume 4, number 3 (1927), page 610

Owa

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Greg Mellow (2014), A dictionary of Owa : a language of the Solomon Islands, Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN

Palu'e

Noun

wai

1. woman

References

• Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Pitjantjatjara

Interjection

wai

1. hey

Pukapukan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

Noun

wai

1. stingray (venomous ray of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes)

Hyponyms

• wai kave
• wai lepu

Further reading

• Te Pukamuna | Pukapuka Dictionary

Raga

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007), →ISBN

Sa'a

Noun

wai

1. alternative form of wäi

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian wei.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vaːi/

Noun

wai m (plural do Wege)

1. way

References

1. Dr. Fort, Marron, Dät Näie Tästamänt un do Psoolme in ju aasterlauwersfräiske Uurtoal fon dät

Seelterlound, Fräislound, Butjoarlound, Aastfräislound un do Groninger Umelounde

Sikaiana

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Siroi

Noun

wai

1. arm, hand

Further reading

• Johannes A. Z'Graggen, The Madang-Adelbert Range Sub-Phylum (1975), page 602
• Sjaak van Kleef, Siroi - English dictionary, English - Siroi dictionary (2007), page 10

Sula

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Bloyd, Tobias (2020), Sula: Its Language, Land, and People (PhD thesis)‎^[7], page 527

Tae'

Etymology

From Proto-South Sulawesi *wai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• ABVD

Tangoa

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007, →ISBN

Tinrin

Adverb

wai

1. already

References

• Osumi, M. (1995). Tinrin Grammar. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. page 39

Tocharian B

Conjunction

wai

1. and

Torres Strait Creole

Etymology

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

Noun

wai

1. (Eastern dialect) a coconut embryo

Usage notes

Wai (eastern dialect) or musu (western dialect) is the first stage of coconut growth. It is followed by giru (eastern dialect) or musu koknat (western dialect).

Synonyms

• musu (western dialect)

Viti

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Waima'a

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Waropen

Noun

wai

1. alternative form of ghai

References

• The Linguistic Situation in the Islands of Yapen, Kurudu, Nau and Miosnum, New Guinea (1961)

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wa.ˈi/

Particle

wai

1. (sentence-final); not yet

Alternative forms

• aiwi

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[8], Pacific linguistics

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	wai
Brazilian standard	wai
New Tribes	wai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [waj]

Noun

wai (possessed waichü)

1. (in ritual chants) synonym of jüwai (“shaman”)

References

• Gongora, Majoí Fávero (2017), Ääma ashichaato: replicações, transformações, pessoas e cantos entre os Ye’kwana do rio Auaris‎^[9], corrected edition, São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo, page 424: “Waichö é um termo usado nos cantos aichudi e ädeemi e é sinônimo de föwai, ‘pajé’ ou ‘xamã’.”