# kai
## English
### Etymology

Borrowed from Maori kai. Doublet of makan (via Malay) in Malaysian and Singaporean Englishes.

### Pronunciation

* Audio (US):(file) (Can we verify this pronunciation?) (particularly: the audio is somewhat too fast)
* Rhymes: -aɪ

### Noun

kai (uncountable)
* (Australia, New Zealand, informal) Food. [from 19th c.]
** 1995, Graeme Williams, The soc.culture.new-zealand FAQ:Actually, I'm not sure I like these new hangis using the foil, it tends to stop the juices getting through to the stones and I reckon the hangi kai is drier to the palate.
** 2003, Carmen, “Is there really a censor in NZ?!”, in nz.general (Usenet):Got to go now and get some kai.
** 2018, Melissa Lucashenko, Too Much Lip, University of Queensland Press, published 2023, page 118:When the sausage man handed the kai over, Kerry passed two wieners to a pair of skinny white kids who had been watching the queue the whole time.

### See also

* kai kai
* kai-kai
* kai-lan
* koen-kai
* pok kai
* tom kha kai

### Anagrams

* AKI, KIA, Kia, aik

## Antillean Creole
### Etymology

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

### Noun

kai
* house, building
    I bati an kai.He built a house.

## Chinese
### Etymology

From Mandarin 凱子 / 凯子 (kǎizi).

### Pronunciation

* Cantonese (Jyutping): kaai$^1$
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: kaai$^1$
*** Yale: kāai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: kaai$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: kai$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰaːi̯⁵⁵/

### Adjective

kai
* (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) foolish; idiotic
** 2012, 回到三國 [Three Kingdoms RPG], episode 1, spoken by 司馬信 (馬國明):
       gat$^6$ ngo$^5$ di$^1$ hing$^1$ dai$^6$, keoi$^5$ dou$^1$ kaai$^1$ kaai$^1$ dei$^2$ ge$^3$. [Jyutping]
       Humilliating my bro? He's such an idiot.

### Verb

kai
* (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) to be foolish; to act like an idiot

### See also

* kai子 (kaai1 zi2)

## Estonian
### Etymology

From German Kai, from Dutch kaai, from French quai.

### Noun

kai (genitive kai, partitive kaid)
* quay

#### Declension
## Faroese
### Etymology

Borrowed from Danish kaj, from Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kʰaiː/
* Rhymes: -aiː

### Noun

kai f (genitive singular kaiar, plural kaiir)
* (colloquial) quay

#### Synonyms

* bryggja
* atløgubryggja

## Finnish
### Etymology

Probably shortened from kaiketi.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkɑi̯(ˣ)/, [ˈkɑ̝i̯(ʔ)]
* Rhymes: -ɑi
* Hyphenation: kai

### Adverb

kai
* probably, I guess (that) (used to express a possibility or belief of what's going to happen)
    Synonyms: ehkä, kenties, luultavasti, otaksuttavasti, arvatenkin, varmaankin, mahdollisesti, kaiketi
    Tulee kai sade.It will probably rain.
    Minun pitää kai lähteä.I guess I'll have to go.
    Lasseko tämän rikkoi? -Niin kai.Was it Lasse who broke this? -Probably yes.
* Used to indicate derision or disbelief.
    Luulisi hänen osaavan. -Kyllä kai!One would think he can. -Yes, but I doubt!
    Annas minä autan! -Niin kai, et sinä ole ennenkään auttanut.Let me help you! -Bah, you haven't been much of a help so far.
* Used as a fortifier, or to confirm.
    Synonyms: toki, tottahan
    Totta kai minä sinua uskon!Of course I believe you!
    Kai sinä tämän tiedät!You know this, don't you!

#### Derived terms

* kaipa

### Further reading

* “kai”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

### Anagrams

* Aki, aik.

## Guinea-Bissau Creole
### Etymology

From Portuguese cair. Cognate with Kabuverdianu kai.

### Verb

kai
* to fall

## Hausa
### Etymology 1

From Proto-Afroasiatic [Term?]. Cognates include Mangas ka, Polci kii, Miship ɡɨ.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kái/
** (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA: [kéi]

#### Pronoun

kai
* you (2nd person singular subject pronoun)

#### See also

* mákà (2nd person singular indirect object enclitic pronoun)
* ká (2nd person singular independent object pronoun)
* -kà (2nd person singular possessive enclitic pronoun)

### Etymology 2

Cognate with Bole kóːʔiː, Galambu kā, Gera ká, Deno kàá, Mangas kaam, Goemai kāː, Polci gaam.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kâi/
** (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA: [kâi]

#### Noun

kâi m (plural kāwunā̀, possessed form kâin)
* head

## Hawaiian
### Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *tai (compare with Maori tai), from Proto-Oceanic *tasik, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tasik (compare with Malay tasik).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkai̯/, [ˈkɐj], [ˈkɛj] (rapid speech)

### Noun

kai
* sea
    i kai ― towards the sea
    makai ― on the seaside, toward the sea, in the direction of the sea
    o kai ― of the lowland, of the sea, seaward
    nā kānaka o kai ― shore dwellers
* salt water
* seaside, area near the sea, lowlands
* tide, current in the sea
* gravy, sauce, dressing, soup, broth

#### Derived terms

* Kai Make

#### See also

* wai
* moana

### Verb

kai
* (stative) to be insipid, brackish, tasteless

### Interjection

kai
* my, how much!; how very! how terrific!
    kai ka nani! ― how beautiful!
    kai ke kolohe! ― oh, how mischievous!

#### See also

* kainō
* keu

### References

* Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

## Japanese
### Romanization

kai
* Rōmaji transcription of かい

## Kabuverdianu
### Etymology

From Portuguese cair.

### Verb

kai
* to fall

## Karajá
### Pronoun

kai
* you, second-person singular pronoun

#### Usage notes

* This term is used in both women's and men's speech.

#### Derived terms

* kaiboho

### References

* Michael Dunn, Gender determined dialect variation, in The Expression of Gender (edited by Greville G. Corbett)
* David Lee Fortune, Gramática Karajá: um Estudo Preliminar em Forma Transformacional

## Khumi Chin
### Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kay, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ngay. Cognates include Hakka 𠊎 (ngài) and Burmese ငါ (nga).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kai̯˥/

### Pronoun

kai
* I

#### See also
### References

* R. Shafer (1944) “Khimi Grammar and Vocabulary”, in Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, volume 11, number 2, page 419
* K. E. Herr (2011) The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎, Payap University, page 44

## Lithuanian
### Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *kai; compare Old Prussian kāi (“when”), Latvian kâ(i) (“when”), Old Church Slavonic цѣ (cě, “and also, besides”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷoy; compare Ancient Greek ποῖ (poî, “whereto”). Perhaps ultimately the locative of Proto-Indo-European *kʷos, kʷis (“question particle”); see kas (“what”). Also, compare with tai (“that”).

### Pronunciation

* (conjunction): IPA: /kɐɪˑ/
* (particle): IPA: /kɐɪ/

### Conjunction

kaĩ
* (in relative clauses) when, while, as

### Particle

kai (unstressed)
* (in conjunction with interrogative words) some, a certain (suggesting the complement is a known entity, but withheld)
    kai kàs - (a certain) something
       Àš táu kai ką̃ turiù - I have something for you.
    kai kadà - sometimes, in some cases

#### Derived terms

* kai kada
* kai kas
* kai katras
* kai koks
* kai kur
* kai kuris

#### Related terms

* tai
* kas
* kad
* kaip

#### See also

* kada
* kaž-, nors, bet

### References

* ↑ Derksen, Rick (2015) Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 217

## Livvi
### Adverb

kai
* all

## Mandarin
### Romanization

kai
* Nonstandard spelling of kāi.
* Nonstandard spelling of kǎi.
* Nonstandard spelling of kài.

#### 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.

## Maori
### Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən (compare with Malay makan, Tagalog kain), from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

### Verb

kai (passive form kainga)
* to eat (to consume food)

### Noun

kai
* food

### Derived terms

* hari kai (“a song for guests when they wait for food”)
* hoko kai (“to buy food”)
* huanga kai (“crop”)
* kai hamuti (“a contemptible person, a strong insult”) (vulgar, offensive)
* kai inati (“overdose”)
* pū kai (“esophagus”)
* rūma kai (“a dining room”)
* tunu kai (“cooking”)
* wāhi kai (“a restaurant”)

### Related terms

* kaimoana (“seafood”)
* kainga (“refuse (inedible leftovers) of a meal”)
* wharekai (“a restaurant”)

### Descendants

* → English: kai

### References

* ↑ Ross Clark and Simon J. Greenhill, editors (2011), “kai.1a”, in POLLEX-Online: The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online
* ↑ Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2016) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic, volumes 5: People, body and mind, Canberra: Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 224, 227-30

### Further reading

* Williams, Herbert William (1917) “kai”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 101-2
* “kai” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

## Middle English
### Noun

kai
* Alternative form of keye (“key”)

## North Frisian
### Alternative forms

* koie (Mooring)
* Kai (Sylt)

### Etymology

From Old Frisian kēi. Cognates include West Frisian kaai.

### Noun

kai m (plural kaier)
* (Föhr-Amrum) key

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

### Noun

kai m or f (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier, definite plural kaiene)
* quay, wharf, dock

#### Derived terms

* ferjekai, fergekai
* kaikant

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology

From Old French kay, cail (modern French quai), from Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

### Noun

kai f or m (definite singular kaia or kaien, indefinite plural kaier or kaiar, definite plural kaiene or kaiane)
* quay, wharf, dock

#### Derived terms

* ferjekai
* kaikant

## Papiamentu
### Etymology

From Portuguese cair and Spanish caer and Kabuverdianu kai.

### Verb

kai
* to fall

#### Derived terms

* kai abou

## Rapa Nui
### Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

### Verb

kai
* to eat (consume)

### Noun

kai
* food

#### Derived terms

* pātia kai

### Adverb

kai
* not

## Southeastern Tepehuan
### Etymology 1

From Proto-Uto-Aztecan *kapsi.

#### Noun

kai (plural kaakai)
* thigh

##### Derived terms

* kairam

### Etymology 2

Cognate with Northern Tepehuan káídɨ, O'odham kai.

#### Noun

kai
* seed

### Etymology 3
#### Verb

kai
* preterite of kaayaꞌ

### References

* Willett, Elizabeth, et al. (2016) Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 48)‎, electronic edition, Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 100

## Sundanese
### Etymology

From Old Sundanese kayu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian *kaSiw. Doublet of ki

### Noun

kai (Sundanese script ᮊᮄ)
* wood, timber

## Tok Pisin
### Etymology

Borrowed from Polynesian, from Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic *kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

### Verb

kai
* (transitive) to eat (consume)

### Noun

kai
* food

### See also

* kaikai

## Tokelauan
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈka.i]
* Hyphenation: ka‧i

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

#### Verb

kai (plural kakai)
* (transitive) to eat
* (intransitive) to eat
* (fishing, intransitive) to bite

##### Derived terms

* kaiga

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻai and Samoan 'ai.

#### Noun

kai
* (cricket) run
* (cricket) goal, point
* (cricket) score

### Etymology 3

From Proto-Polynesian *kai. Cognates include Tobanga kai and Nukuoro gai.

#### Particle

kai
* Indicates disapproval and/or dissatisfaction.
* Indicates regret that something didn't happen.

##### Synonyms

* (regret): kaina

### References

* R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎, Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 142

## Tongan
### Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kai, from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ka.i/

### Noun

kai
* food

### Verb

kai
* To eat

### Derived terms

* kai maʻamaʻa

## Tuvaluan
### Adverb

kai
* ever

## Zou
### Etymology 1
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kai̯˧/

#### Verb

kai
* (intransitive) to rise, ascend, go up

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kai̯˧˥/

#### Adjective

kái
* askew
* low

### Etymology 3
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kai̯˧˩/

#### Verb

kài
* (transitive) pull, drag, draw

### References

* Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 63