Lojban and Chinese, A Word A Day

By Xah Lee. Date:

This page shows a lojban word a day, for learning purposes. Each entry includes English and Chinese (中文) equivalents.

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dukti ≔ x1 is polar opposite from/contrary to x2 in property/on scale x3 (property/si'o)

see lojban ref Attitudinal and Emotional Indicators.

see lojban ref Attitudinal and Emotional Indicators.

ckire ≔ x1 is grateful/thankful to/appreciative of x2 for x3 (event/property)
sidju ≔ x1 helps/assists/aids object/person x2 do/achieve/maintain event/activity x3

ko ⇔ the command form of you. 帮 ⇔ help, 忙 ⇔ busy, busy work. 帮忙 together just means help.

kavbu ≔ x1 captures/catches/apprehends/seizes/nabs x2 with trap/restraint x3
renro ≔ x1 throws/launches/casts/hurls x2 to/at/in direction x3 (propulsion derives internally to x1)

bolci ⇔ ball ⇔ 球. 给 ⇔ give.

bolci ≔ x1 is a ball/sphere/orb/globe [shape/form] of material x2; x1 is a spherical object [made of x2]
cisma ≔ x1 smiles/grins (facial expression)
dakli ≔ x1 is a sack/bag with contents x2, and of material x3

ponse ⇔ have ⇔ 有 you3. plise ⇔ apple ⇔ 苹果 ping2 guo3. klani ⇔ quantified/measured ⇔ 量 liang4.

kanji ≔ x1 calculates/reckons/computes x2 [value (ni)/state] from data x3 by process x4

计 ⇔ to write down; tabulate. Plan; scheme. 算 ⇔ calculate.

grusi ≔ x1 is gray [color adjective]

灰 ⇔ ash. 色 ⇔ color

ponse ⇔ have. karce ⇔ car.

tcati ≔ x1 is made of/contains/is a quantity of tea brewed from leaves x2
plise ≔ x1 is an apple [fruit] of species/strain x2

ralte ⇔ “have”, keep. pa ⇔ 1. dakli ⇔ bag. be ⇔ connects two words together as one.

if “be” is not used here, then the sentence “mi ralte ((pa dakli) (lo plise))” would mean something like “i hold one bag. Apple”.

拿 ⇔ take, grasp. 拿有 ⇔ hold; with me. 苹 ⇔ apple. 果 ⇔ fruit.

ralte ≔ x1 retains/keeps/holds x2 in its possession

re ⇔ 2. dakli ⇔ bag. lo ⇔ some. Necessary in front of words like bag.

The exact phrase for ralte in Chinese depends on the context. Often it's just 有 (have).

for more about “lo”, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

manfo ≔ x1 (object/event) is uniform/homogeneous in property x2 (ka)

In Chinese, the closest word corresponding to uniform is 清一色, literally meaning “purely of one single color”. Translation of “uniform/homogeneous” depends on context.

dakli ≔ x1 is a sack/bag with contents x2, and of material x3

mi ⇔ me. bevri ⇔ carry.

ponse ⇔ have. re ⇔ 2

sakci ≔ x1 sucks/is suction/vacuum/relatively low pressure of fluid/gas x2 relative to high pressure x3

mi ⇔ I. jisra ⇔ juice. loi ⇔ some of a mass.

for more on loi, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

mintu ≔ x1 is the same/identical thing as x2 by standard x3; (x1 and x2 interchangeable)

nanmu ⇔ man. ko'a ⇔ he/she/it/they (pro-sumti)

for more on ko'a, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 7

样 ⇔ type; kind; model. 一 ⇔ one. 一样 ⇔ same (one type, one kind). 同 ⇔ together; same; belong in the same group.

fadni ≔ x1 [member] is ordinary/common/typical/usual in property x2 (ka) among members of x3 (set)

mi ⇔ I. fi ⇔ indicates the third parameter. lo'i ⇔ the set of those which really are.

for more on lo'i, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

平 ⇔ flat. 常 ⇔ frequent. 用 ⇔ use. 者 ⇔ person; -er.

viska ≔ x1 sees/views/perceives visually x2 under conditions x3

nanmu ⇔ man/men ⇔ 男人

看 ⇔ to see. 见 ⇔ saw, perceive.

lumci ≔ x1 (agent) washes/cleanses x2 of soil/contaminant x3 in/with cleaning material(s) x4

na'e ⇔ no ⇔ 不. • karce ⇔ car ⇔ 车

srera ≔ x1 errs in doing/being/making mistake x2 (event), an error under conditions x3 by standard x4
festi ≔ x1(s) is/are waste product(s) [left to waste] by x2 (event/activity)

fagri ⇔ fire ⇔ 火

kunti ≔ x1 [container] is empty/vacant of x2 [material]; x1 is hollow
si'o ≔ abstractor: idea/concept abstractor; x1 is x2's concept of [bridi].

For more about abstraction in lojban, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 11

zarci ≔ x1 is a market/store/exchange/shop(s) selling/trading (for) x2, operated by/with participants x3

klama ⇔ come, go ⇔ 来, 去 • pu ⇔ past.

pu ⇔ past tense. For more about tenses in lojban, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 10

dargu ≔ x1 is a road/highway to x2 from x3 with route x4 (x2/x3 may be unordered)

xamgu ⇔ good ⇔ 好

lacpu ≔ x1 pulls/tugs/draws/drags x2 by handle/at locus x3
le mlatu ⇔ cat
ratcu ⇔ mouse
pu is used to mean in the past. Added in front of brivla.
tu ⇔ that there

For the use of poi, see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 8

sivni ≔ x1 is private/personal/privy/[secret/confidential/confined] to x2; x1 is not-public/hidden
rectu ≔ x1 is a quantity of/contains meat/flesh from source/animal x2

• xu ⇔ make it a true/false question. Add in front of a sentence. • ca ⇔ present. Example: la djan. ca klama le zarci ⇔ djan go to store (now)

cusku ⇔ say ⇔ 说| cadzu ⇔ walk ⇔ 走| bisli ⇔ ice ⇔ 冰 |

lu … li'u ⇔ “…” See Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

tirxu ≔ x1 is a tiger/leopard/jaguar/[tigress] of species/breed x2 with coat markings x3

lo'e ⇔ the typical | xabju ⇔ lives/dwells | xazdo ⇔ Asia

• lo'e. see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

nanmu ≔ x1 is a man/men; x1 is a male humanoid person [not necessarily adult]

lei ⇔ the mass I describe as | re ⇔ 2| bevri ⇔ carry | le ⇔ the, the one(s) described as

cutci ≔ x1 is a shoe/boot/sandal for covering/protecting [feet/hooves] x2, and of material x3

su'o ⇔ quantifier that means “at least”. | ci ⇔ 3.

• su'o. see Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 6

gusta ≔ x1 is a restaurant/cafe/diner serving type-of-food x2 to audience x3

le'e ⇔ the stereotypical. | xelso ⇔ Greek. | merko ⇔ American. | ponse ⇔ owns.

karda ≔ x1 is a card [small nearly-2-dimensional shape/form] of material x2, shape x3
stuna ≔ x1 is to the east/eastern side of x2 according to frame of reference x3
snanu ≔ x1 is to the south/southern side of x2 according to frame of reference x3
condi ≔ x1 is deep in extent in direction/property x2 away from reference point x3 by standard x4
risna ≔ x1 is a/the heart [body-part] of x2; [emotional/shape metaphors are NOT culturally neutral]
ratcu ≔ x1 is a rat of species/breed x2

lo ⇔ one-or-more-of-those-which-really-are

ralte ≔ x1 retains/keeps/holds x2 in its possession
pacna ≔ x1 hopes/wishes for/desires x2 (event), expected likelihood x3 (0-1); x1 hopes that x2 happens

binxo ≔ x1 becomes/changes/converts/transforms into x2 under conditions x3

galfi ≔ x1 (event) modifies/alters/changes/transforms/converts x2 into x3
pensi ≔ x1 thinks/considers/cogitates/reasons/is pensive about/reflects upon subject/concept x2
lanka ≔ x1 is a basket with contents x2, woven from material x3
jatna ≔ x1 is captain/commander/leader/in-charge/boss of vehicle/domain x2
fengu ≔ x1 is angry/mad at x2 for x3 (action/state/property)

Thanks to the lojban community for helping out. In particular, “stevo”, Philip Newton, Michael van der Gulik, Jorge Llambias. (if i missed you, please don't hesitate to let me know).