Hokkien Word Meanings?

Discussions on the Hokkien (Minnan) language.
SimL
Posts: 1407
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:33 am
Location: Amsterdam

"a short time"

Post by SimL »

I'm not sure if anyone has explained this before on the Forum. If so, I apologise for asking again.

In Penang we say (among other things) "ma(n)3-nia1 ku2" for "a short time". Does anyone know how "ma(n)3-nia2" is written in hanzi?

Thanks,
Sim.
niuc
Posts: 734
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 3:23 pm
Location: Singapore

Post by niuc »

Hi Sim

I think it comes from bak8-ni4-a4-ku2. Bak8 = 目 eye. Bak8-ni4 = (a) blinking of eye(s). I don't know how to write ni4; in Mandarin is 眨眼. So bak8-ni4-a4-ku2 literally means "in a blinking of eyes". We usually say cit8-bak8-ni4 "a blinking of eyes" [Mdr 一眨眼].
SimL
Posts: 1407
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:33 am
Location: Amsterdam

Post by SimL »

Gosh Niuc,

Thanks SO MUCH for this reply. I found it fascinating to read how different "ma-nia" is from "bak-ni-a", but the derivation seems very plausible to me.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Sim.
ong
Posts: 535
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:04 am

Post by ong »

duaaagiii
Posts: 182
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:17 am

Post by duaaagiii »

nih4 is 𥍉 (目聶)
ong
Posts: 535
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:04 am

Post by ong »

Is is hard to say this hanzi wendu liap and can has a baidu ninnh.There are no other examples in this 咸摄 with innh vowel.
casey
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 7:27 am

Post by casey »

Quote:
Is is hard to say this hanzi wendu liap and can has a baidu ninnh.There are no other examples in this 咸摄 with innh vowel.
There is another example with "innh" vowel. It is "sinnh4" 閃, as in "sinnh4 nah4" 閃(火+監), "lightning".
Tai Ke Lai O Ban Lam Oe
ong
Posts: 535
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:04 am

Post by ong »

闪 is not rusheng hanzi and in different 韵.So some just give the baidu sinn even in ciangciu.
casey
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 7:27 am

Post by casey »

I am a bit confused, if "闪" having a tone 4 is not "入声", then which tone would it be?
Tai Ke Lai O Ban Lam Oe
ong
Posts: 535
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:04 am

Post by ong »

It could be other benzi we didn't know yet or this is the correct benzi but minnan people change it into rusheng.
Locked