wai

See also: WAI, Wai, wài, wāi, wǎi, and wa'i

Languages (52)

English

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Aka-Bea • 'Are'are • Arosi • Balinese • Buli (Indonesia) • Central Tagbanwa • Duri • Fijian • Gothic • Hadza • Hawaiian • Jamaican Creole • Japanese • Kambera • Kapingamarangi • Laboya • Lamaholot • Lau • Malay • Mamasa • Mamuju • Mandarin • Maori • Masiwang • Middle English • Nauete • Naxi • Neko • North Frisian • Old Javanese • Omba • Oroha • Owa • Palu'e • Pitjantjatjara • Pukapukan • Raga • Sa'a • Saterland Frisian • Sikaiana • Siroi • Tae' • Tangoa • Tîrî • Tocharian B • Torres Strait Creole • Viti • Waima'a • Waropen • West Makian • Ye'kwana

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Page categories

English

Students performing wai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waɪ/, /weɪ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ, -eɪ

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Thai ไหว้ (wâi, “a gesture of thanks”).

Noun

wai (plural wais)

1. A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow.

Translations

Thai greeting

• Burmese: ဝေး (my) (we:), ဝေ့ (my) (we.), ဝေ (my) (we)
• Indonesian: sembah (id) (a similar greeting)
• Japanese: ワイ (ja) (wai)
• Khmer: សំពះ (km) (sɑmpeah)
• Korean: 와이 (wai)
• Lao: ນົບ (nop)
• Malay: sembah (ms) (a similar greeting)
• Russian: вай (ru) m or n (vaj)
• Shan: ဝႆႈ (shn) (wāi)
• Thai: ไหว้ (th) (wâai)
• Vietnamese: vái (vi)

Etymology 2

Phonetic respelling of why.

Adverb

wai (not comparable)

1. (Internet slang) why (a purposeful misspelling)

Anagrams

• IAW, WIA, iwa

Aka-Bea

Adverb

wai

1. indeed

References

• Edward Horace Man, A Dictionary of the South Andaman (Aka-Bea) language (1923)

'Are'are

wai

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. fresh water (clear liquid H₂O)

Antonyms

• āsi (“salt water”)

References

• Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Arosi

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Arthur Capell, Arosi grammar (1971), page 59: [Possessives of the] first and second persons precede the noun, whereas all others follow it, e.g. gugua wai, my drinking water, but wai 'ana, his drinking water.
• Sidney Herbert Ray, A Comparative Study of the Melanesian Island Languages (2014), page 481: wai "water"

Balinese

Romanization

wai

1. Romanization of ᬯᬳᬶ

Buli (Indonesia)

Numeral

wai

1. eight

References

• G. Maan, Proeve van een Bulische spraakkunst (1951)

Central Tagbanwa

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai (Tagbanwa spelling ᝯᝡ)

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Robert A. Scebold, Central Tagbanwa: A Philippine Language on the Brink of Extinction : Sociolinguistics, Grammar, and Lexicon (2003)

Duri

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Language Documentation Training Center, Linguistic Society of Hawaii, Duri wordlist

Fijian

Etymology

From Proto-Central Pacific *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Gothic

Romanization

wai

1. Romanization of 𐍅𐌰𐌹

Hadza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waʔi/

Determiner

wai ?

1. all (used with a possessive suffix)

Related terms

• waiko
• waina

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwai̯/, [ˈʋɐj], [ˈʋɛj] (rapid speech)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun

wai

1. water, especially of fresh sources

Derived terms

• pāwai
• wai aliʻi
• wai pahū
• wai ʻala
• wai ʻeleʻele
• waiwai
• waiʻawa

 

Related terms

• kai

Etymology 2

Verb

wai

1. Rare form of waiho (“to leave, deposit”).

References

• William Churchill (1911) The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced
• Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “wai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press
• Elbert, Samuel H., Pukui, Mary Kawena (1979) Hawaiian Grammar, Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, page 67
• Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2008) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic, volume 2: The Physical Environment, Canberra: Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 58-9

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Derived from English why.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wai/

Adverb

wai

1. why
   • 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Ruoman 11:33:

     […] Uu kyan se wai im mek op im main fi du di sitn dem we im du? […]

     […] You can see why he made up his mind to do the things he does?

Usage notes

• For asking questions, ou kom is used instead.

Japanese

Romanization

wai

1. Rōmaji transcription of わい
2. Rōmaji transcription of ワイ

Kambera

Etymology

From Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wài

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Marian Klamer, A Grammar of Kambera

Kapingamarangi

Etymology

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Laboya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [wa͡i]

Noun

wai

1. chin

References

• Allahverdi Verdizade (2019) “wai”, in Lamboya word list‎^[2], Leiden: LexiRumah

Lamaholot

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Kunio Nishyama, Herman Kelen, A Grammar of Lamaholot, Eastern Indonesia: The Morphology and Syntax of the Lewoingu Dialect (2007)
• ABVD

Lau

Noun

wai

1. water

See also

• kafo

References

• Joel Bradshaw, Word order change in Papua New Guinea Austronesian languages (1982), page 126
• Walter George Ivens, Grammar and vocabulary of the Lau language, Solomon Islands (1921), page 55

Malay

wai

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ. Doublet of air.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wai/
• Rhymes: -ai, -i

Noun

wai (Jawi spelling واي, plural wai-wai, informal 1st possessive waiku, 2nd possessive waimu, 3rd possessive wainya)

1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)

   Synonyms: alir, alur, batang, bengawan, ci, kali, sungai

References

• "wai" in Kamus Dewan, Fourth Edition, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, →ISBN, 2005.
• “wai” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Mamasa

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• David F. Matti, Mamasa Pronoun Sets (1994)

Mamuju

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Kari K. Stromme, Person Marking in the Mamuju Language (1994)

Mandarin

Romanization

wai (wai⁵ / wai⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄨㄞ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 𠰻

wai

1. Nonstandard spelling of wāi.
2. Nonstandard spelling of wǎi.
3. Nonstandard spelling of wài.

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 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
2. liquid
3. juice of plants from fruits etc.
   1. beverage from such liquids

      wai āporo: apple juice

Derived terms

• hauwai
• wai māori
• waitoreke
• wē

 

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Etymology 2

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

Pronoun

wai

1. who?

Further reading

• Williams, Herbert William (1917) “wai”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 556-7
• “wai” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

Masiwang

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• ABVD

Middle English

Noun

wai

1. Alternative spelling of way

Nauete

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Naxi

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b(w)ay.

Adjective

wai

1. left

References

• Naxi Dictionary by T.M. Pinson, Lijiang 2012

Neko

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Transnewguinea.org, citing McElhanon and Voorhoeve (1970)
• J. Bullock, R. Gray, H. Paris, D. Pfantz, D. Richardson, A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Yabong, Migum, Nekgini, and Neko (2016)

North Frisian

Alternative forms

• wäi (Mooring)
• Wai (Sylt)

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wegaz.

Pronunciation

• (Föhr-Amrum) IPA^(key): [vaːɪ̯]

Noun

wai m (plural waier)

1. (Föhr-Amrum) way

Old Javanese

Etymology 1

Noun

wai

1. Alternative spelling of we (“sun, day”)

Etymology 2

Noun

wai

1. Alternative spelling of wwe (“water”)

Further reading

• "wai" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Omba

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Catriona Hyslop, The Lolovoli Dialect of the North-East Ambae Language: Vanuatu (2001)
• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Oroha

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• W. G. Ivens, A Study of the Oroha Language, Mala, Solomon Islands, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London, volume 4, number 3 (1927), page 610

Owa

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Greg Mellow, A Dictionary of Owa: A Language of the Solomon Islands

Palu'e

Noun

wai

1. woman

References

• Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Pitjantjatjara

Interjection

wai

1. hey

Pukapukan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

Noun

wai

1. stingray (venomous ray of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes)

Hyponyms

• wai kave
• wai lepu

Further reading

• Te Pukamuna | Pukapuka Dictionary

Raga

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007, →ISBN

Sa'a

Noun

wai

1. water

Alternative forms

• wei
• wäi

Further reading

• ABVD 1, 2, 3, 4 (wai)
• ABVD (wäi)
• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond (editors), The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic: The physical environment, Pacific Linguistics, 545-2 (Australian National University, Canberra, 2003), page 58 (wei)

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian wei.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /vaːi/

Noun

wai m (plural do Wege)

1. way

References

1. Dr. Fort, Marron, Dät Näie Tästamänt un do Psoolme in ju aasterlauwersfräiske Uurtoal fon dät

Seelterlound, Fräislound, Butjoarlound, Aastfräislound un do Groninger Umelounde

Sikaiana

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Siroi

Noun

wai

1. arm, hand

Further reading

• Johannes A. Z'Graggen, The Madang-Adelbert Range Sub-Phylum (1975), page 602
• Sjaak van Kleef, Siroi - English dictionary, English - Siroi dictionary (2007), page 10

Tae'

Etymology

From Proto-South Sulawesi *wai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• ABVD

Tangoa

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007, →ISBN

Tîrî

Adverb

wai

1. already

References

• Osumi, M. (1995). Tinrin Grammar. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. page 39

Tocharian B

Conjunction

wai

1. and

Torres Strait Creole

Noun

wai

1. (Eastern dialect) a coconut embryo

Usage notes

Wai (eastern dialect) or musu (western dialect) is the first stage of coconut growth. It is followed by giru (eastern dialect) or musu koknat (western dialect).

Synonyms

• musu (western dialect)

Viti

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Waima'a

Noun

wai

1. water

References

• Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Waropen

Noun

wai

1. Alternative form of ghai

References

• The Linguistic Situation in the Islands of Yapen, Kurudu, Nau and Miosnum, New Guinea (1961)

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wa.ˈi/

Particle

wai

1. (sentence-final); not yet

Alternative forms

• aiwi

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[3], Pacific linguistics

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	wai
Brazilian standard	wai
New Tribes	wai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [waj]

Noun

wai (possessed waichü)

1. (in ritual chants) Synonym of jüwai (“shaman”)

References

• Gongora, Majoí Fávero (2017) Ääma ashichaato: replicações, transformações, pessoas e cantos entre os Ye’kwana do rio Auaris‎^[4], corrected edition, São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo, page 424: “Waichö é um termo usado nos cantos aichudi e ädeemi e é sinônimo de föwai, ‘pajé’ ou ‘xamã’.”