kpaari1to scratch (with or without blood appearing, but scratch must be visible(Prov.) Fi dan pa poning poni nuru zuk, waa pa ka takaribalieng a kpaari fi zuk.If you take a razor and shave a person's head, he will take a potsherd and scratch your head.kpaari dangtanga basito remove dirt (lit. to scratch and remove dirt)2(restr.) to accelerateKpaari fi pupuka.Accelerate (lit. scratch) your mobilette.boati v. and ngomsi v.
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kpaaroam mkpaaroawakpaaroaba or kpaaribafarmer, peasant (general term, may include helpers and women)Fi bag a da jena ale zom kpaaroawa jigi.You can buy eggs and flour from the farmer.juisi kpaaroato ask sb. (e.g. a friend) to do farmwork on one's own farm (more common: juisi kpari)nipok kpaaroafemale farmerkpa, kpari v.
kpaaroa waabl l mkpaaroa waamukpaaroa wiigasmall dark non-poisonous snake, lives underground (or: young snake adopts a pink colour when adult)Kpaaroa waab ale bo kadukka po.There is a kpaaroa-waab (snake) in the field.
kpaarungl lkpaarungkukpaarungtakparungwooden handle of a hoe or axe, e.g. used as a ceremonial axe in funeral dances(Prov.) Ba kan tienti kpaarung kosik-a.They do not straighten a dry (old and hardened) handle.kpaan-tulik n., kpaan-zain n.
kpaasi1to knock, strike, beat slightly (to knock heavily: nagi), to rap an inanimate object with one's knuckles2to knock the handle of a hoe on a stone in order to fix the blade, to beat the blade of an axe or a hoe in order to sharpen itAtong kuni an nala, dila la wa dan kpa maga-maga dega, waa kpaasi di kama.Atong's hoe is not good, so when he has been working a little, he will knock it on a stone to fix the handle.Wa yaa ga paari ta wa jiuku a kpasi nag wa.Then he went to him and beat him with his tail.kpaasi nimbiikto roughen a grinding-stone (when too smooth for grinding)Nimbiika saala kama, kpaasi di.The grinding-stone is smooth, roughen it.kpaasi tintain(lit. to beat a stone; refers to the activity of the diviner) to consult a diviner, to go to a soothsayer for consultation Waab ale dom Akansiaba, ate wa kowa cheng baanowa ain wa kpaasi tintain.A snake bit Akansiaba, and his father went to a diviner for consultation.kpa 5 v., kpaarung n.
kpabi21to put a calabash over another or over a pot filled with water to prevent the water from slopping over when carried (calabash is floating on the water)Pa chini kpabi fi nyiamu, ate bu kaa waangi.Put a calabash on your water, so that it does not slop over.2to close the large fishing-net neeb (kpabi cannot be used for other nets; the long stick of the net which is initially on the surface is lowered quickly so that the fish are trapped)Jum ale jo nurwa neemu po la, ate wa yaa kpabi.When a fish entered the man's net, he closed it.3to fold once (kpamsi to fold several times)
kpabi-nyiamh h hkpabi-nyiamukpabi-nyaatakpabu(k)-nyiamred-brown water in which shea butter has been "washed" (water is used for painting and conserving walls)Nipoowa a nye kpabi-nyiam a sa wa siaka.The woman made kpabi-nyiam and painted (lit. rubbed) her wall.kpabi-ngiak (cf. ngiak wet)residue containing much oilkpabi-sabingdried up residuekpa-buk
kpaganingl l l; l l mkpagani(ng)kakpaganisa1low wall within the compound (e.g. before the entrance of a bathroom; can easily be stepped over)Biika a garing kpaganingka a lo.The child stumbled over the kpaganing-wall and fell.2fence made of branches within a compound (e.g. in order to fence off a corner as a bathroom or after a clay-wall has been washed away by rain); branches put over stored food (e.g. groundnuts in a corner)Pa kpaganingka ale jigsanga.Put branches over the shea nuts.3round clay walls around a planted tree (often mango)Atong se ka kpaganing a gilimu mangooku.Atong built a kpaganing-wall around the mango-plant.(syn. parik geli)
kpagi1m mkpagnikpaga1head, headman (e.g. of a lineage, clan etc.), elder, (ritual) leader, officiant (of a sacrifice), most senior person (kpagi in the traditional society usually hold his office by virtue of his genealogical position; this office is generally connected with ritual functions; cf. kambon-naab, political and administrative headman, subchief)Kpagni jam a wuli, a yiti dam nyiam...The elder came quickly, got up and prepared (millet-) water...(Prov.) Kpaga ngaye kan bo ye-yeng po.Two heads cannot be in the same house.2senior officer, boss, manager, principal, head, chief or director of a department, firm etc., prefect (at school)Skuuni kpagni a te bisanga wada-a.The school prefect gave orders to the children.kpanga (def. pl.)people in authority, government naapie-kpagileader of a group of shepherds (no ritual aspects)bi-kpagioldest child, eldest son, most senior member of the younger generationkaabroa kpagihead sacrificer, head officiant (cf. kaabroa n.)nalima kpagiparamount chief (no official title)po-kpagisenior wife, first wifeWa bu dan pa te Sandem-naab, ba le yueni ain wa lug kama, wa le ka nalimanga kpagi la nying.If he gave her to the chief of Sandema, they would say that he preferred him, because he was the paramount chief.Wa po-kpagni yue le boa?What is his senior wife's name?kpagim v., kpak adj.
kpagi2to drink with another person from the same calabash at the same time (symbolic action of friendship)N kpagi daam ale n doawa.I drank pito together with my friend from the same calabash.Atiim ale wa doawa kpagi ka daam ale chin.Atiim and his friend drank millet beer together from a (one) calabash.
kpagimkpaγimto be old, to grow old(Prov.) Fi dan kan ta biik-a, ate ba wi fi yue-ya, fi dan jam kpagim, baa la fu kama.If you have no child, people will praise you (lit. call your name), but if you grow old, they will laugh at you.
kpagli1to rest one's head (on sth.), to rest onBa ko niiga a kpagli kumu.They killed cows (at a funeral) for the dead person (lit.: for death to rest on; i. e. that the dead person might rest in peace; cf. fob nangsa).kpagli kumuto kill (animals) at a funeralYeni nyono kpagli kumu ale naab.The Landlord killed a cow at the funeral.
kpaglikcallous, corny, hardened, inuredMi dueri n ni-kpaglika, ate ku a dom.I cut the callus off my hand, and now it is hurting.ja-kpaglik [l l m], def. ja-kpaglika [l l m h], pl. ja-kpaglisa [l l m l]callous thing, something cornyni-kpaglik [h h h], pl. ni-kpaglisa [h h h m]callous handnang kpaglik [h h h]foot with cornsbi-kpaglik [h h h]a child who is not afraid of being beaten; an inured child.kpagli 2 v.
kpaglukl mkpagluku [l l m]kpaglukta [l m l]animal used as a “neckrest” for a deceased person (here zu-kpaglik n. is not used)kpagluk(u) lamfuneral meat (that is sacrificed in honour of a deceased person and distributed among the invited funeral guests; e. g. meat from two cows slaughtered at the entrance of the compound)KpaglukKpagluk is an animal killed without bloodshedding during a funeral; it is meant as a compensation for ancestors who did not receive as many animals as were killed at the actual funeralBa chari kpagluku lamu a nue ya.They finished distributing the funeral meat.kpagli1 v.
kpaimkpanikpaocciput(Prov.) Fi kpai dan kan toling ya, fi kan de kpaata nganta.If your occiput is not hot (i.e. if you do not work hard), you do not eat oily (i.e. good) things.nieri kpai(lit. to stretch the occiput) to run fastCf. also: kpa-ziim n., kpa-jiin n.
kpainmkpannikpanadecorations like necklaces, earrings, finger rings, bangles etc.Nipoowa a su ká tu-kpana.The woman is wearing earrings.
kpajiak2kpajiakakpajaasahuge, extremely tall, big, large; mighty, powerfulJa-kpajiaka a daa biisi, nuru kan kosi.If a mighty person is speaking, nobody should cough (i.e. make noise).nur kpajiak [h h h]a big man (in terms of bodily size or influence)ja-kpajiak [l l m], def. ja-kpajiaka [l l m h], pl. ngan-kpajaasa [l l m l]huge or powerful person
kpakmkpakakpaksa [kpagsa]kpokold, elder, older, senior(Prov.) Su-puurim paalik ala yieri su-puurim kpak.New annoyance renews (reminds you of) old annoyance.Nipok kpoku a wobsa.The old woman is weak.nur kpak [h m] or ja-kpak [l m]old person, old mangar-kpak [l m]old dress, smockkpagi n., kpagim v.
kpaksakpagsa; m m(used only in one proverb), (old) age(Prov.) Ku paalim po, ku fali-fali, ku kpaksa po, ku joli-joli.(Lit. transl.:) In its novelty (i.e. in the early days): smoothly-smoothly, in its old age: roughly-roughly (i.e. difficulties come only by the time, e. g. in marriage).
Buli Dictionary © 2021 Franz Kroeger®
