# kuli
## English
### Noun

kuli (plural kulis)
* Archaic spelling of coolie.

### See also

* kuli-kuli (etymologically unrelated)

## Äiwoo
### Etymology

Probably a Polynesian borrowing.

### Noun

kuli
* dog

### References

* Ross, M. & Næss, Å. (2007) “An Oceanic origin for Äiwoo, the language of the Reef Islands?”, in Oceanic Linguistics, volume 46, number 2. Cited in: "Äiwoo" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.

## Atong (India)
### Alternative forms

* khuli

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kuli/

### Verb

kuli- (Bengali script কুলি)
* to open

### References

* van Breugel, Seino. 2015. Atong-English dictionary, second edition. Available online: https://www.academia.edu/487044/Atong_English_Dictionary.

## Cebuano
### Etymology 1
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kuˈliʔ/ [kʊˈl̪iʔ]
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

#### Verb

kulî (Badlit spelling ᜃᜓᜎᜒ)
* to be senile

##### Derived terms

* kulianon
* kulion

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkuliʔ/ [ˈku.l̪ɪʔ]
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

#### Adjective

kulì (Badlit spelling ᜃᜓᜎᜒ)
* having a hard time due to some obstacle
* reluctant

#### Adverb

kulì (Badlit spelling ᜃᜓᜎᜒ)
* reluctantly
* seldom; rarely

#### Verb

kulì (Badlit spelling ᜃᜓᜎᜒ)
* to have a hard time doing something

##### Derived terms

* kakulian
* makuli
* makulion

## Czech
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈkulɪ]

### Etymology 1
#### Noun

kuli m anim
* coolie (unskilled Asian worker)

##### Declension
#### Further reading

* “kuli”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
* “kuli”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
* “kuli”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Participle

kuli
* animate masculine plural past active participle of kout

## Drehu
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kuli/

### Noun

kuli
* dog

### References

* Tyron, D.T., Hackman, B. (1983) Solomon Islands languages: An internal classification. Cited in: "Dehu" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.
* Leenhardt, M. (1946) Langues et dialectes de l'Austro-Mèlanèsie. Cited in: "ⁿDe’u" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.

## Fijian
### Etymology

From Proto-Central-Pacific *kuli, from Proto-Oceanic *kulit, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kulit, from Proto-Austronesian *qaNiC.

### Noun

kuli
* skin (outer covering of the body of a person)

## Finnish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkuli/, [ˈkuli]
* Rhymes: -uli
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

### Etymology 1

From Russian куль (kulʹ).

#### Noun

kuli
* (historical) an old Russian unit of weight, used for grain and equal to 9 poods or around 147.42 kilograms
    Synonyms: matto, jauhomatto

##### Declension

Possessive forms of kuli (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulini
kulini
accusative
nom.
kulini
kulini
gen.
kulini
genitive
kulini
kulieni
partitive
kuliani
kulejani
inessive
kulissani
kuleissani
elative
kulistani
kuleistani
illative
kuliini
kuleihini
adessive
kulillani
kuleillani
ablative
kuliltani
kuleiltani
allative
kulilleni
kuleilleni
essive
kulinani
kuleinani
translative
kulikseni
kuleikseni
abessive
kulittani
kuleittani
instructive
comitative
—kuleineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulisi
kulisi
accusative
nom.
kulisi
kulisi
gen.
kulisi
genitive
kulisi
kuliesi
partitive
kuliasi
kulejasi
inessive
kulissasi
kuleissasi
elative
kulistasi
kuleistasi
illative
kuliisi
kuleihisi
adessive
kulillasi
kuleillasi
ablative
kuliltasi
kuleiltasi
allative
kulillesi
kuleillesi
essive
kulinasi
kuleinasi
translative
kuliksesi
kuleiksesi
abessive
kulittasi
kuleittasi
instructive
comitative
—kuleinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulimme
kulimme
accusative
nom.
kulimme
kulimme
gen.
kulimme
genitive
kulimme
kuliemme
partitive
kuliamme
kulejamme
inessive
kulissamme
kuleissamme
elative
kulistamme
kuleistamme
illative
kuliimme
kuleihimme
adessive
kulillamme
kuleillamme
ablative
kuliltamme
kuleiltamme
allative
kulillemme
kuleillemme
essive
kulinamme
kuleinamme
translative
kuliksemme
kuleiksemme
abessive
kulittamme
kuleittamme
instructive
comitative
—kuleinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulinne
kulinne
accusative
nom.
kulinne
kulinne
gen.
kulinne
genitive
kulinne
kulienne
partitive
kulianne
kulejanne
inessive
kulissanne
kuleissanne
elative
kulistanne
kuleistanne
illative
kuliinne
kuleihinne
adessive
kulillanne
kuleillanne
ablative
kuliltanne
kuleiltanne
allative
kulillenne
kuleillenne
essive
kulinanne
kuleinanne
translative
kuliksenne
kuleiksenne
abessive
kulittanne
kuleittanne
instructive
comitative
—kuleinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulinsa
kulinsa
accusative
nom.
kulinsa
kulinsa
gen.
kulinsa
genitive
kulinsa
kuliensa
partitive
kuliaan kuliansa
kulejaan kulejansa
inessive
kulissaan kulissansa
kuleissaan kuleissansa
elative
kulistaan kulistansa
kuleistaan kuleistansa
illative
kuliinsa
kuleihinsa
adessive
kulillaan kulillansa
kuleillaan kuleillansa
ablative
kuliltaan kuliltansa
kuleiltaan kuleiltansa
allative
kulilleen kulillensa
kuleilleen kuleillensa
essive
kulinaan kulinansa
kuleinaan kuleinansa
translative
kulikseen kuliksensa
kuleikseen kuleiksensa
abessive
kulittaan kulittansa
kuleittaan kuleittansa
instructive
comitative
—kuleineen kuleinensa :

### Etymology 2

From Hindi क़ुली (qulī), Urdu قلی.

#### Noun

kuli
* coolie

##### Declension

Possessive forms of kuli (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulini
kulini
accusative
nom.
kulini
kulini
gen.
kulini
genitive
kulini
kulieni
partitive
kuliani
kulejani
inessive
kulissani
kuleissani
elative
kulistani
kuleistani
illative
kuliini
kuleihini
adessive
kulillani
kuleillani
ablative
kuliltani
kuleiltani
allative
kulilleni
kuleilleni
essive
kulinani
kuleinani
translative
kulikseni
kuleikseni
abessive
kulittani
kuleittani
instructive
comitative
—kuleineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulisi
kulisi
accusative
nom.
kulisi
kulisi
gen.
kulisi
genitive
kulisi
kuliesi
partitive
kuliasi
kulejasi
inessive
kulissasi
kuleissasi
elative
kulistasi
kuleistasi
illative
kuliisi
kuleihisi
adessive
kulillasi
kuleillasi
ablative
kuliltasi
kuleiltasi
allative
kulillesi
kuleillesi
essive
kulinasi
kuleinasi
translative
kuliksesi
kuleiksesi
abessive
kulittasi
kuleittasi
instructive
comitative
—kuleinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulimme
kulimme
accusative
nom.
kulimme
kulimme
gen.
kulimme
genitive
kulimme
kuliemme
partitive
kuliamme
kulejamme
inessive
kulissamme
kuleissamme
elative
kulistamme
kuleistamme
illative
kuliimme
kuleihimme
adessive
kulillamme
kuleillamme
ablative
kuliltamme
kuleiltamme
allative
kulillemme
kuleillemme
essive
kulinamme
kuleinamme
translative
kuliksemme
kuleiksemme
abessive
kulittamme
kuleittamme
instructive
comitative
—kuleinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulinne
kulinne
accusative
nom.
kulinne
kulinne
gen.
kulinne
genitive
kulinne
kulienne
partitive
kulianne
kulejanne
inessive
kulissanne
kuleissanne
elative
kulistanne
kuleistanne
illative
kuliinne
kuleihinne
adessive
kulillanne
kuleillanne
ablative
kuliltanne
kuleiltanne
allative
kulillenne
kuleillenne
essive
kulinanne
kuleinanne
translative
kuliksenne
kuleiksenne
abessive
kulittanne
kuleittanne
instructive
comitative
—kuleinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
kulinsa
kulinsa
accusative
nom.
kulinsa
kulinsa
gen.
kulinsa
genitive
kulinsa
kuliensa
partitive
kuliaan kuliansa
kulejaan kulejansa
inessive
kulissaan kulissansa
kuleissaan kuleissansa
elative
kulistaan kulistansa
kuleistaan kuleistansa
illative
kuliinsa
kuleihinsa
adessive
kulillaan kulillansa
kuleillaan kuleillansa
ablative
kuliltaan kuliltansa
kuleiltaan kuleiltansa
allative
kulilleen kulillensa
kuleilleen kuleillensa
essive
kulinaan kulinansa
kuleinaan kuleinansa
translative
kulikseen kuliksensa
kuleikseen kuleiksensa
abessive
kulittaan kulittansa
kuleittaan kuleittansa
instructive
comitative
—kuleineen kuleinensa :

#### Further reading

* “kuli”, 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 2023-07-01

### Anagrams

* ilku, kilu, luki

## Hawaiian
### Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *tuli, from Proto-Oceanic *tuli, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tuli, from Proto-Austronesian *Culi.

#### Verb

kuli
* (stative) to be deaf (not hearing)

#### References

* ↑ Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kuli”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, revised & enlarged edition, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN, page 180

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *turi (compare with Maori turi), from Proto-Central Pacific *tur-i, from Proto-Oceanic *tur (compare with Fijian duru), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tuhud (compare with Malay tuhut and lutut, Tagalog tuhod), from Proto-Austronesian *tuduS.

#### Noun

kuli
* (anatomy) knee

##### Derived terms

* kukuli

#### References

* ↑ Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kuli”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, revised & enlarged edition, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN, page 180
* ↑ Ross Clark and Simon J. Greenhill, editors (2011), “turi”, in POLLEX-Online: The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online

## Hungarian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈkuli]
* Hyphenation: ku‧li
* Rhymes: -li

### Noun

kuli (plural kulik)
* coolie

#### Derived terms

* kulizik

### Further reading

* (coolie): kuli in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
* ([regional] inward-turning [horn or cattle with such horn]): kuli in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

## Indonesian
### Etymology

From Malay kuli, from Hindi क़ुली (qulī), from Chagatai [Term?], ultimately from Proto-Turkic *kul (“slave, servant”).
Other forms occur in Bengali কুলি (kuli) and Tamil கூலி (kūli, “daily hire”), which are possibly also influenced by Hindi कोली (kolī, “weaver; low-class”). The Chinese word 苦力 (kǔlì), meaning "to exert one's abilities; heavy labour work" in Classical Chinese, may have been influenced by cognates of the above Hindi word in other languages and may have further influenced English.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈku.li]
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

### Noun

kuli (plural kuli-kuli)
* laborer; coolie
    Synonyms: pekerja kasar, buruh kasar
** 2019 February 20, “Pernah Jadi Kuli Bangunan, Wisanggeni Kini Tekuni Melukis [Once a Construction Laborer, Wisangenni Now Draws Diligently]”, in Suara Merdeka‎, archived from the original on 6 September 2019:Ia menambahkan pernah juga bekerja sebagai kuli bangunan, buruh pabrik di Solo, pernah juga bekerja di warung makan.He adds that he had once worked as a construction laborer, a factory worker at Solo, and had also worked at a food stall.

#### Derived terms

Regular affixed derivations:
* berkuli [stative / habitual] (beR-)
* menguli [agent focus] (meN-)
* kulian [resultative / locative / collective / variety / verbal noun / fruit] (-an)

### Further reading

* “kuli” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

## Ingrian
### Etymology 1

Borrowed from Russian куль (kulʹ). Doublet of kulja.

#### Pronunciation

* (Ala-Laukaa) IPA: /ˈkuli/, [ˈkulʲi]
* (Soikkola) IPA: /ˈkuli/, [ˈkuli]
* Rhymes: -uli
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

#### Noun

kuli
* bast sack
* a unit of dry volume equivalent to around 293 liters

##### Usage notes

* One kuli is equal to eight vakka.

##### Declension
### Etymology 2

Related to Estonian kuli (“dude”); kuli was traditionally exclusively played by men and boys.

#### Pronunciation

* (Ala-Laukaa) IPA: /ˈkuli/, [ˈkulʲi]
* (Soikkola) IPA: /ˈkuli/, [ˈkuli]
* Rhymes: -uli
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

#### Noun

kuli
* gorodki (a type of traditional game where wooden chips were hit with a stick)

##### Derived terms

* kulisavva

### References

* Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 216

## Lindu
### Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kulit, from Proto-Austronesian *kuliC.

### Noun

kuli
* (anatomy) skin

## Ngarrindjeri
### Noun

kuli
* head

## Polish
### Alternative forms

* (genitive plural of kula) kul

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈku.li/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -uli
* Syllabification: ku‧li

### Verb

kuli
* third-person singular present of kulić

### Verb

kuli
* third-person plural virile past of kuć

### Noun

kuli f
* inflection of kula:
** genitive/dative/locative singular
** genitive plural

## Slovak
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈkuʎi]
* Hyphenation: ku‧li

### Etymology 1
#### Noun

kuli m pers
* coolie

##### Declension
### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Noun

kuli f
* dative/locative singular of kuľa

### Further reading

* “kuli”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

## Sranan Tongo
### Noun

kuli
* (derogatory, offensive) coolie; an Indian-Surinamese person, a Surinamese person of Indian descent.
** 1976, Suky Akkal, “Kapharia Ke Leb”, in The Tropical Mood:Gwe yu skôyer! Mi no e trow nanga no wan kuliGo away, you beggar! I'm not going to marry a coolie

## Swahili
### Etymology

Borrowed from English coolie.

### Pronunciation

* Audio (Kenya):(file)

### Noun

kuli class V (plural makuli class VI)
* coolie, dockworker

### See also

* hamali
* mpakizi

## Wolio
### Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kulit, from Proto-Austronesian *kuliC.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kuli/

### Noun

kuli
* skin

### References

* Anceaux, Johannes C. 1987. Wolio Dictionary (Wolio-English-Indonesian) / Kamus Bahasa Wolio (Wolio-Inggeris-Indonesia). Dordrecht: Foris.