Taiwanese-English dictionary full-text search

bofngkorng [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: borng'korng [[...]][i#] [p.]
talk at random, sometimes idle jesting, half-joking, half in earnest, well now, just speak
隨便講

bofngkhix [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: borng'khix [[...]][i#] [p.]
tolerable, not very good, but may do
將就

Eng'eeng ku pørzoar borng khvoax. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Eeng'eeng ku pøx'zoar borng khvoax. [[...]][i#] [p.]
nothing to do but read old newspapers
沒事且看看舊報紙。

Na zhøe bøo thaulo, kang'iuo ia tiøh bofngzøx. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Na zhoe bøo thaau'lo, kafng'iuo ia tiøh borng'zøx.; Na zhøe bøo thaau'lo, kafng'iuo ia tiøh borng'zøx. [[...]][i#] [p.]
If you can't find a job, workers should do less meaningful work.
如找不著工作,工友也只好將就了。

Phvayciah si phvayciah, paktor na iaw tiøh bofngciah. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Phvae'ciah si phvae'ciah, pag'tor na iaw tiøh borng'ciah. [[...]][i#] [p.]
True it is not good tasting, but when you are hungry anything will do.
難吃是難吃,肚子餓了,也只好將就吃了。

budlek [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: but'lek [[...]][i#] [p.]

one's resources, the value of one's property and estate, personal effects

物力

Puttan khiaxm jinlek, ia khiaxm budlek. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Pud'tan khiaxm jiin'lek, ia khiaxm but'lek. [[...]][i#] [p.]
Not only run short of human power, but also fall short of material resources
不但人力不足也缺物力。

zaixtviuu [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zai'tviuu [[...]][i#] [p.]

be present, on the spot

在場

zaixtviuu ee zu'ui siensvy [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zai'tviuu ee zw'ui siefn'svy [[...]][i#] [p.]
Gentlemen! (words used at the beginning of a talk)
在場的諸位先生

Hid ee suxkox hoatsefng ee sii, y ia zaixtviuu. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Hid ee su'kox hoad'sefng ee sii, y ia zai'tviuu. [[...]][i#] [p.]
When the accident occurred he was also on the spot.
那個事故發生時,他也在場。

zeng'ia [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zeeng'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

eve, night before last

前夜

Zeng'ia si goar kor'mee, kim'ia tiøh lie, tiøh `bøo? [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Zeeng'ia si goar kox'mee, kym'ia tiøh lie, tiøh `bøo? [[...]][i#] [p.]
Last night it was my turn to watch, tonight it is yours, right?
前夜是我守夜,今夜換你,對不對?

zhekzerng [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zheg'zerng [[...]][i#] [p.]

seed rice

稻種

ia zhekzerng [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: ia zheg'zerng [[...]][i#] [p.]
sow rice seed
撒稻種

chim'ia [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: chym'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

in the dead of night

深夜

chimkvef pvoaria [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: chym'kvef pvoax'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

in the dead of night, midnight

深更半夜

chyn hviati [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: chyn'hviaf'ti; chyn hviaf'ti [[...]][i#] [p.]

brothers by the same father

親兄弟

Phahhor liaqzhat ia tiøh chinhviati. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Phaq'hor liah'zhat ia tiøh chyn'hviaf'ti. [[...]][i#] [p.]
In hunting tigers or in seizing robbers brothers should be used as assistants.
打虎捉賊也要親兄弟。

chiu toa, viar ia toa. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: chiu toa, viar ia toa. [[...]][i#] [p.]

If the tree is big, the shade is also big.

樹大,影就大。

zhoia [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zhof'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

bridal night

初夜

zhøe'hofng [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zhoef'hofng; zhøef'hofng; (zhef'hofng) [[...]][i#] [p.]

air in the wind

晾風

Na bøo jit thafng phak, zhoe'hofng (zhe'hofng) ia e taf. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Na bøo jit thafng phak, zhoef'hofng (zhef'hofng) ia e taf.; Na bøo jit thafng phak, zhøef'hofng ia øe taf. [[...]][i#] [p.]
If there is no sun, air it in the wind, and it will dry.
如果沒有陽光晒,晾風也會乾。

cvii [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: cvii [[...]][i#] [p.]

money, cash

錢

uxcvilaang [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: u'cvii'laang [[...]][i#] [p.]
wealthy man
有錢人

U cvii sae kuie ia e ebø. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: U cvii sae kuie ia e ef'bø. [[...]][i#] [p.]
Money talks. (Lit. If you have money, you can make a devil turn the mill for you.)
有錢能使鬼推磨。

cvii siekhaf, laang nng khaf [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: cvii six'khaf, laang nng khaf [[...]][i#] [p.]
Don't run after it, you can't catch it. (Lit. Money has four legs to your two.)
錢四腳,人只有兩腳,賺錢不易。

cien'ia [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: cieen'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

night before last

前夜

ciuxsi [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: ciu'si [[...]][i#] [p.]

is, namely, even if

就是

Cid ui ciuxsi Lie siensvy. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Cid ui ciu'si Lie siefn'svy. [[...]][i#] [p.]
This is Mr. Li.
這位就是李先生。

Ciuxsi lie ka goar phahsie, goar ia m korng. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Ciu'si lie ka goar phaq'sie, goar ia m korng. [[...]][i#] [p.]
Even if you kill me, I won't tell you.
就是把我打死了,我也不講。

cviuxsvoaf [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: cviu'svoaf [[...]][i#] [p.]

ascend a mountain, go ashore (archaic)

上山

Cviuxsvoaf ia cit jit, løqhae ia cit jit. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Cviu'svoaf ia cit jit, løh'hae ia cit jit. [[...]][i#] [p.]
nice way of saying one should not be in a rush to get things done. Festina lente! (Lit. Going up the mountain is a day, going down to sea is also a day)
上山也一天,下海也一天,慢慢來,不用急。

Cviuxsvoaf khvoax svoasix, jibmngg khvoax lang'ix. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Cviu'svoaf khvoax svoaf'six, jip'mngg khvoax laang'ix. [[...]][i#] [p.]
Be aware of the wishes of your host. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. (Lit. In climbing a mountain, look at the mountain contours, if you enter a person's home, consider his feelings.)
見風轉舵,入鄉隨俗。

zofngthwn [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zorng'thwn [[...]][i#] [p.]

annex all

全吞

Lieen goar ee giah, y ia sviuxboeq zofngthwn. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Lieen goar ee giah, y ia sviu'boeq zorng'thwn.; Lieen goar ee giah, y ia sviu'bøeq zorng'thwn. [[...]][i#] [p.]
My section he also wants to annex.
連我的份,他也想要全吞。

zw'ia [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: zuo'ia [[...]][i#] [p.]

midnight

子夜

gai [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: gai [[...]][i#] [p.]

hinder, obstruct, injure

礙

Cid khoarn iøqar e gai uixtngg. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Cid khoarn iøh'ar e gai ui'tngg. [[...]][i#] [p.]
This kind of drug injures the stomach.
這種藥傷胃腸。

Zhuix kab cih uxsi'ar ia e siøgai. [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: Zhuix kab cih u'sii'ar ia e siøf'gai. [[...]][i#] [p.]
The best friends sometimes have a falling out. (Lit. Some times the mouth and tongue hurt each other.)
唇齒有時會相礙,至友有時也會發生摩擦。

hae bofng ciafm [wt] [HTB] [wiki] u: hae bofng ciafm; hae bofng/bof ciafm [[...]][i#] [p.]