kwa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /koa/

Noun

kwa

1. sky

References

• Leenhardt, M. (1946) Langues et dialectes de l'Austro-Mèlanèsie. Cited in: "ⁿDuᵐbea" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.
• Shintani, T.L.A. & Païta, Y. (1990) Dictionnaire de la langue de Païta, Nouméa: Sociéte d'etudes historiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Cited in: "Drubea" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.

Etymology

From French croix (“cross”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwa/

Noun

kwa

1. cross

Romanization

kwa

1. The katakana syllable クァ (kwa) in Hepburn-like romanization.
2. The katakana syllable クヮ (kwa) in Hepburn-like romanization.

Etymology

Cognate with Sotho utlwa.

Verb

kwa

1. to hear, to listen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʷa/

Verb

-kwa

1. (transitive) to eat

   Maka shikwakan ne pujpula selek

   Don't eat the plantains uncooked

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkfa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: kwa

Interjection

kwa

1. (usually reduplicated) quack; onomatopoeia for the sound of a duck

Further reading

• kwa in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• kwa in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Verb

-kwá (infinitive gukwá, perfective -kôye)

1. pay bride price

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Particle

kwa

1. ku class_(XV) inflected form of -a
   1. by, with, -ly (used before nouns to form adverbs of manner, instrument, etc.)
      • 1973, Mohammed S. Abdulla, Duniani kuna watu, page 3:

        Kasim alianza kupanda ngazi ile kwa nguvu na kwa haraka, […]

        Kasim started climbing these stairs with strength and speed, […]

   2. for
   3. from
   4. Makes fractions where the numerator is not one, in the format denominator kwa numerator.
2. ku class_(XVII) inflected form of -a

   chumbani kwa mama yangu ― at my mother's room

Preposition

kwa

1. in terms of

   Sina is kwa ynwennertal it grutste lân op de wrâld. -- In terms of number of inhabitants, China is the greatest country in the world.