li

See also: Appendix:Variations of "li"

Languages (56)

Translingual • English

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Albanian • Aragonese • Aromanian • Catalan • Corsican • Dutch • Esperanto • French • Galician • Guinea-Bissau Creole • Haitian Creole • Ido • Istriot • Italian • Japanese • Jarawa • Kabuverdianu • Khumi Chin • Livonian • Louisiana Creole • Maltese • Mandarin • Mauritian Creole • Michif • Miskito • Mokilese • Moore • Munsee • Neapolitan • Niuatoputapu • Norman • Northern Kurdish • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old French • Old Occitan • Old Polish • Polish • Portuguese • Romagnol • Romanian • Sassarese • Serbo-Croatian • Sicilian • Sumerian • Swahili • Tedim Chin • Tooro • Vietnamese • Volapük • Walloon • West Makian • Yoruba • Zou

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Page categories

Translingual

Symbol

li

1. (mathematics) The symbol for the logarithmic integral function.
2. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Limburgish.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liː/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iː

Etymology 1

An early romanization of Chinese Mandarin 里 (lǐ). As a Korean unit, via the Yale romanization of Korean 리 (ri), from the Chinese distance.

Alternative forms

• (Korea): ri

Noun

li (plural lis or li)

1. The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters).

   Synonym: Chinese mile

   • 1927, Chi Li, “Archaeological Survey of the Fêng River Valley, Southern Shansi, China”, in Explorations and Field-work of the Smithsonian Institution in 1926 (Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections)‎, volume 78, number 7, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, →OCLC, page 129:

     It was a whole day's journey from I-ch'eng to Chü-wo which, in turn, is about 60 li east of Chiang Chou — one of the most important cities in southern Shansi and a center for curio-dealers.

   • 1999 [1994], Heng (邹衡) Zou, “The Early Jin State Capital Discovered: a Personal Account”, in Roderick Whitfield, Wang Tao, transl., Exploring China's Past: New Discoveries and Studies in Archaeology and Art‎, Saffron Books, Eastern Art Publishing, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 106:

     In 1979, while we were conducting our archaeological work in Yucheng and Quwo, Shanxi province, I noticed another historical record in the Kuodizhi (a comprehensive account of geography written in 641), which stated that "the ancient city of Tang was 20 li west of Yuchengxian in Jiangzhou."

   • 2000, Shui-Bian Chen, “Learning and Transformation”, in David J. Toman, transl., The Son of Taiwan: The Life of Chen Shui-Bian and His Dreams for Taiwan‎, Taiwan Publishing Co., Ltd., →ISBN, →OCLC, page 40:

     The two gods who accompany Matsu, one with eyes that can see 1000 li⁶ and the other with ears that can hear far over the horizon, represent empathy, observation, and feeling. Government should be like Matsu, equipped with acute powers of observation; see clearly to the bottom of issues, and know how to respond.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:li.
2. The Korean mile, a traditional unit of distance equivalent to about 393 m.

   Synonym: Korean mile

   • 1980, Il-sung Kim, “Meeting with My Comrades-in-Arms in North Manchuria”, in Kim Il Sung Works‎, volume 48, Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House, →OCLC, page 144:

     While scaling the Laoyeling Mountains, the Chinese Worker-Peasant Red Army, under the command of Mao Ze-dong and Zhu De, was successfully stepping up the historic 25 000-li Long March in China proper, breaking through the surrounding rings formed by Chiang Kai-shek’s army.

Translations

Chinese unit of distance

Chinese: Mandarin: 里 (zh) (lǐ), 市里 (zh) (shìlǐ) Dutch: li (nl) French: li (fr) m Japanese: 里 (ja) (り, ri) Korean: 리(里) (ko) (ri) Russian: ли (ru) m (li) Swedish: li (sv) c Thai: ลี้ (th) (líi) Vietnamese: lí (vi)

Etymology 2

From Mandarin 市厘 (lí).

Noun

li (plural li)

1. A traditional Chinese unit of weight, equal to one-thousandth of a liang, or fifty milligrams.

Etymology 3

From Mandarin 禮／礼 (lǐ).

Noun

li (plural li)

1. (Chinese philosophy) A meaningful ceremony or ritual; etiquette, behaviour.

Etymology 4

From Mandarin 鬲 (lì).

Noun

li (plural li)

1. An ancient Chinese cauldron having three hollow legs.

Etymology 5

Altered from la, with the vowel changed to signify a raised note.

Noun

li (uncountable)

1. (music) In solfège, the raised sixth note of a major scale (the note A-sharp in the fixed-do system).

   Synonyms: A-sharp, B-flat, ta, te

Anagrams

• I'l, IL, il-

Albanian

Etymology 1

Orel suggests from South Slavic, compare Serbo-Croatian lȉh (“exclusive”), lȋh (“false, odd”), Slovene lȋh (“uneven, odd”).^[1] However, generally thought to be from Ancient Greek εὐλογία (eulogía) "blessing", with a euphemistic sense development.^[2][3] Compare e.g. the euphemistic synonym "e lume" (the happy/blessed one)^[4]

Alternative forms

• lijë

Noun

li f (definite lia)

1. pox
2. olive scab, peacock spot (Cycloconium oleaginum)

   Synonym: sypallua

Hyponyms

hyponyms

• li e bardhë (“chicken pox”)
• li e dushkut (“chicken pox”)
• li e dhenve (“sheeppox”)
• li e madhe (“smallpox”)
• li e mirë (“chicken pox”)
• li e pyllit (“chicken pox”)
• li e ullirit (“olive scab, peacock spot”) (Cycloconium oleaginum)

Derived terms

• lijëvrarë
• lijim
• lijoj
• lijosje
• lijosh
• lijuar

 

References

1. Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “lijë”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 227
2. Eqrem Çabej, Studime etimologjike në fushë të shqipes, Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë, Instituti i Gjuhësisë dhe i Letërsisë, 1996, page 168
3. Eqrem Çabej, Studime Filologjike, Akademia e Shkencave e RPSSH, Instituti i Gjuhësisë dje i Letërsisë., 1990, page 99
4. Eqrem Çabej, Studime gjuhësore: Nga historia e gjuhës shqipe, Rilindja, 1977, page 22

Etymology 2

Borrowed through Vulgar Latin from Latin līnum.

Noun

li m (definite liri)

1. flax

Aragonese

Etymology

From Latin ille (“that one”).

Pronoun

li

1. him (indirect object)

Synonyms

• le

Aromanian

Etymology

From Latin illis, dative common plural of ille. Compare Romanian le.

Pronoun

li f (short/unstressed accusative form of eali)

1. (direct object) them (all-female group)

Related terms

• lã (feminine/masculine plural dative- short/unstressed form)
• u (feminine singular accusative- short/unstressed form)
• (a) lor (feminine/masculine plural dative- long/stressed form)

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin illī, dative common singular of ille.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [li]
• Rhymes: -i

Pronoun

li (enclitic and proclitic)

1. him, her, it (indirect object, singular all genders)

   doneu-li una moneda ― give him/her a coin

Declension

	strong/subject	weak (direct object)		weak (indirect object)		possessive
singular		proclitic	enclitic	proclitic	enclitic
1st person	jo, mi3	em, m’	-me, ’m	em, m’	-me, ’m	meu
1st person majestic1	nós	ens	-nos, ’ns	ens	-nos, ’ns	nostre
2nd person	tu	et, t’	-te, ’t	et, t’	-te, ’t	teu
2nd person formal1	vós	us	-vos, -us	us	-vos, -us	vostre
2nd person very formal2	vostè	el, l’	-lo, ’l	li	-li	seu
3rd person masculine	ell	el, l’	-lo, ’l	li	-li	seu
3rd person feminine	ella	la, l’4	-la	li	-li	seu
3rd person neuter		ho	-ho	li	-li	seu
3rd person reflexive	si	es, s’	-se, ’s	es, s’	-se, ’s	seu
plural
1st person	nosaltres	ens	-nos, ’ns	ens	-nos, ’ns	nostre
2nd person	vosaltres	us	-vos, -us	us	-vos, -us	vostre
2nd person formal2	vostès	els	-los, ’ls	els	-los, ’ls	seu
3rd person masculine	ells	els	-los, ’ls	els	-los, ’ls	seu
3rd person feminine	elles	les	-les	els	-los, ’ls	seu
3rd person reflexive	si	es, s’	-se, ’s	es, s’	-se, ’s	seu
adverbial
ablative/genitive		en, n’	-ne, ’n
locative		hi	-hi
1) Behaves grammatically as plural. 2) Behaves grammatically as third person.			3) Only as object of a preposition. 4) Not before unstressed (h)i-, (h)u-.

Catalan personal pronouns and clitics

Corsican

Etymology

From Latin illi, masculine plural of ille, from Old Latin olle. Cognates include Italian gli (“the, them”) and Romanian îi (“them”).

Pronoun

li

1. him, her (indirect object)
2. them (indirect object)
3. Archaic form of i.

See also

		Nominative	Dative	Accusative	Disjunctive
Singular	1st person	eiu	mi		mè
	2nd person	tù	ti		tè
	3rd person m	ellu	li	u, l'	ellu
	3rd person f	ella		a, l'	ella
Plural	1st person	noi	ci		noi
	2nd person	voi	vi		voi
	3rd person m	elli	li	i, l'	elli
	3rd person f	elle		e, l'	elle

Corsican personal pronouns

Article

li

1. Archaic form of i.

References

• https://infcor.adecec.net/

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

li m (uncountable)

1. li (Chinese unit of distance)

Esperanto

Etymology

From Italian lui, French lui, or Spanish le, plus the i of personal pronouns.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [li]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: li

Pronoun

li (accusative lin, possessive lia)

1. (personal pronoun) he

Usage notes

• Li is traditionally used as both a masculine and a gender-neutral pronoun, but since the 1970s generic usage has sometimes been criticized and is increasingly being avoided and replaced by "ĝi" and or "oni" and or "li aŭ ŝi". Some people (reformists) think this is an imperfect solution which is inappropriately long. In response to such criticisms, there have been various proposals for new pronouns, but the only proposal that has been gaining some adoption is ri.

Synonyms

• (person whose gender is unknown): ĝi, oni, ri, ŝli

Related terms

• ili (“they”) (plural)

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

  • Audio (Nancy):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -i
• Homophones: lient, lies, lis, lit, lits, lys

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Mandarin 里 (lǐ).

Noun

li m (plural lis)

1. li (Chinese unit of distance)

Etymology 2

Probably from influence of Louisiana Creole li (“he, she, it”).

Pronoun

li (second person singular, objective case)

1. (Louisiana) him
2. (Louisiana) it

Further reading

• “li”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• il

Galician

Verb

li

1. (reintegrationist norm) first-person singular preterite indicative of ler

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese ali. Cognate with Kabuverdianu li.

Adverb

li

1. here

Haitian Creole

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Etymology 1

From French lui.

Pronoun

li (contracted form l)

1. he
2. him
3. she
4. her
5. it

Etymology 2

From French lire.

Verb

li

1. to read

Ido

Etymology

From lu (“he, him, she, her, it, that”) +‎ -i (“-s; plural”).

Pronoun

li pl

1. they, them

Related terms

• ili (“they, them”, masculine)
• eli (“they, them”, feminine)
• oli (“they, them”, neuter)

Istriot

Article

li

1. masculine plural definite article
   • 1877, Antonio Ive, Canti popolari istriani: raccolti a Rovigno, volume 5, Ermanno Loescher, page 40:

     Ti me pari oûna dea infra li dai,

     You seem to me a goddess among the gods

Italian

Etymology 1

From Latin illī, nominative masculine plural of ille.

Alternative forms

• -li (enclitic)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): ^°/li/^°
• Homophone: lì
• Rhymes: -i
• Hyphenation: li
• As an unstressed clitic, it does not trigger syntactic gemination of the following consonant. It also actively blocks syntactic gemination of its initial consonant, such as after a word like però (“but”) that would normally trigger syntactic gemination. (This does not apply to the enclitic form -li, e.g. dalli a me (“give them to me”).)

Pronoun

li m pl

1. (accusative) them (masculine)

   Li ricordo. ― I remember them.

Usage notes

• Never elides.

See also

Number	Person	Gender	Nominative	Reflexive	Accusative	Dative	Combined	Disjunctive	Locative	Partitive
Singular	first	—	io	mi, m', -mi			me	me	—
	second	—	tu	ti, t', -ti			te	te
	third	m	lui	si2, s', -si	lo, l', -lo	gli, -gli	glie, se2	lui, sé	ci, c', vi, v' (formal)	ne, n'
		f	lei, Lei1		la, La1, l', L'1, -la, -La1	le3, Le1, -le3, -Le1		lei, Lei1, sé
Plural	first	—	noi	ci, c', -ci			ce	noi	—
	second	—	voi, Voi4	vi, Vi4, v', V'4, -vi, -Vi4			ve	voi, Voi4
	third	m	loro, Loro1	si, s', -si	li, Li1, -li, -Li1	gli, -gli, loro (formal), Loro1	glie, se	loro, Loro1, sé	ci, c', vi, v' (formal)	ne, n'
		f			le, Le1, -le, -Le1
1	Third person pronominal forms used as formal terms of address to refer to second person subjects (with the first letter frequently capitalised as a sign of respect, and to distinguish them from third person subjects). Unlike the singular forms, the plural forms are mostly antiquated terms of formal address in the modern language, and second person plural pronouns are almost always used instead.
2	Also used as indefinite pronoun meaning “one”, and to form the passive.
3	Often replaced by gli, -gli in informal language.
4	Formal (capitalisation optional); in many regions, can refer to just one person (compare with French vous).

Italian personal pronouns

Etymology 2

Variant of gli.

Article

li m pl (singular lo)

1. (archaic) Alternative form of gli

   li studenti ― the students

Pronoun

li m pl (singular lo)

1. (dative, archaic) Alternative form of gli

Etymology 3

Adverb

li

1. Misspelling of lì.

Anagrams

• il, il-

Japanese

Romanization

li

1. Rōmaji transcription of り゚
2. Rōmaji transcription of リ゚

Jarawa

Etymology

Cognate to Önge li.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Determiner

li

1. this, these

   Synonym: lijə (“this here, this”)

   Coordinate term: luwə (“that”)

   li aːw ʈʰi talu.

   This bow is long.

Pronoun

li

1. this, these, this one, these ones

   Coordinate term: luwə (“that”)

   li topo t-ita-b.

   He ate the snake.

   li aːw.

   This is a bow.

References

• Kumar, Pramod (2012) Descriptive and Typological Study of Jarawa (PhD). Jawaharlal Nehru University. Page 85, 101—102.

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese ali.

Adverb

li

1. here

Khumi Chin

Li.

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *lii, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-liy. Cognate to Burmese လေး (le:, “bow”) and S'gaw Karen ချံၣ် (khleè, “bow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li˥/

Noun

li

1. crossbow

References

• K. E. Herr (2011) The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎, Payap University, page 45

Livonian

Verb

li

1. second-person singular imperative of lǟdõ

Louisiana Creole

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “May be unrelated to French "il" or "lui".”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/
• Rhymes: -i

Pronoun

li (third-person singular, plural yé, objective li, possessive sô, emphatic sokin, sochin)

1. he
2. him
3. she
4. her
5. it

Descendants

• → French: li

Maltese

Alternative forms

• illi (after a word-final consonant cluster)

Etymology

From Arabic اَلَّذِي (allaḏī, relative pronoun). Compare common dialectal Arabic اللي (illi, lli). The use as a conjunction is widely found in Maghrebi Arabic, so there is no reason to consider it a Romance influence (as might otherwise be thought; compare Italian che, which is both a relative pronoun and the conjunction “that”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɪ/

Pronoun

li

1. (relative) who; which; that

   Dan huwa r-raġel li seraq il-karozza. ― That’s the man who stole the car.

   Din hija ħaġa li tħawwadni. ― This is something that confuses me.

   • 2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

     Imnalla għajjatlu Fredu u kellu jwaqqaf l-eloġju ta’ nannuh, għax naħseb l-istorja li kien imiss kienet li għandu xi gżira privata.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• Unlike standard Arabic, the relative pronoun is normally used also with indefinite referents (example sentence 2). However, it is optional in this case.

Conjunction

li

1. that

   Nixtieq ngħidilha li nħobbha. ― I want to tell her that I love her.

Derived terms

• billi
• filli
• ġieli
• għalli
• malli
• milli
• talli

 

Mandarin

Romanization

li (li⁵／li⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄌㄧ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 哩
2. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 裏／里
3. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 裡／里
4. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 里

li

1. Nonstandard spelling of lī.
2. Nonstandard spelling of lí.
3. Nonstandard spelling of lǐ.
4. Nonstandard spelling of lì.

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.

Mauritian Creole

Etymology

From French le, lui.

Pronoun

li

1. he, she, it (third-person singular personal pronoun)

See also

			singular	plural
1st person			mo mwa (objective)	nou
2nd person			to (informal), ou (formal) twa (objective)	zot
3rd person			li	zot, bann-la

Mauritian Creole personal pronouns

Michif

Etymology

From French le.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lɪ]

Article

li m (feminine la, masculine and feminine plural lii)

1. the

Miskito

Noun

li

1. water

References

• Eduard Conzemius, Ethnographical Survey of the Miskito and Sumu Indians (1932)

Mokilese

Noun

li

1. woman

Inflection

Demonstrative forms	Singular	Plural
1st person (near speaker)	lihe	lihkai
2nd person (near hearer)	lihn	lihken
3rd person (near neither speaker nor hearer)	liho	lihk
Article forms
indefinite	lihmen	lihpwi
definite	liwa	liwa

Forms of li

Moore

Etymology

from French lit (“bed”)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lí/

Noun

li

1. bed

Munsee

Particle

lí^[1]

1. here, there, thus, so

References

1. O'Meara, John (2014) “lí-”, in Delaware-English/English-Delaware Dictionary (Heritage), Toronto: University of Toronto Press, published 1996, →ISBN

Neapolitan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Pronoun

li

1. Alternative form of 'i

Niuatoputapu

Article

li

1. the

Norman

Etymology

From Old French li, from Vulgar Latin *illui, a Vulgar Latin dative of Classical Latin ille.

Pronoun

li

1. (Guernsey) him

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Cognate with Central Kurdish لە (le), from earlier *ne < *en. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *en.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪ

Preposition

Central Kurdish	لە (le)

li

1. on

   ew li hespekî siwar bû ― he/she mounted on a horse

2. at (time)

   li kêlîka dirust ― at the right moment

3. in (location, country, city)

   li Kurdistanê ― in Kurdistan

4. an element of several prepositions and circumpositions

Usage notes

• In most cases, "li" refers to on rather than in. The more south it goes the more the sense becomes much more extensive; in Central Kurdish encapsulating from, on, in, over, etc. as a whole. Around more Northern dialects, (li) ser ("on top") is used to mean on and in those regions "li" especially has the meaning of in, often times replacing di in "di ... de" ("in, inside"), compare li ... de.
• "li" can be added pretty much before any preposition except di, ji, bi; as in li ber, li pêş, li dijî, li hember, etc., all of which can be used without the li.

Related terms

• li ba
• li ... de
• li cem
• li ber
• li dijî
• li dora
• li gora
• li pey
• li pêş
• li rex
• li ser

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse hlíð.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liː/

Noun

li f or m (definite singular lia or lien, indefinite plural lier, definite plural liene)

1. A sloping mountainside or hillside covered with grass or forest.

References

• “li” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Anagrams

• il

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liː/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse hlíð, from Proto-Germanic *hlīdō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱleytéh₂ (“something leaned, inclined”).

Alternative forms

• Lid, lid (obsolete spellings)

Noun

li f (definite singular lia, indefinite plural lier, definite plural liene)

1. a sloping mountainside or hillside covered with grass or forest.

Inflection

Historical inflection of li indefinite singular definite singular indefinite plural definite plural Aasen1 Lid Lidi Lider Liderna 1901 lider (lidir) liderne (lidine) 1917 li lia, lii lier liene 1938 lia [lii] 2012 (current) li lia lier liene Forms in italics are currently considered non-standard. Forms in [brackets] were official, but considered second-tier. Forms in (parentheses) were allowed under Midlandsnormalen. 1Nouns were capitalised for most of the 19th century.

Etymology 2

From Old Norse líða, from Proto-Germanic *līþaną. The sense of suffering may be a loan from Middle Low German.

Alternative forms

• lida, lide (long forms)

Verb

li (present tense lir, past tense lei, supine lidd or lidt or liden, past participle lidd or liden, present participle lidande, imperative li)

1. (intransitive, of time) to pass, elapse
2. (intransitive) to suffer
   1. (intransitive) to endure
   2. (intransitive) to tolerate, like

Related terms

• lei
• leia, leie

References

• “li” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams

• il

Old French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Etymology 1

From Latin illī (“those”). The use for the nominative singular is due to a Vulgar Latin alteration of ille under the influence of the pronoun quī (“who, which”). The same influence (through the dative cui) also explains the Vulgar Latin forms mentioned in etymology 2 below. Doublet of il (“he”).

Article

li

1. the (masculine nominative singular and plural definite article)
   • c. 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:

     Li rois respont: "N'est pas mançonge"

     The king replied "this is no lie"

Inflection

Declension of the definite article le

	singular		plural
	masculine	feminine	masculine	feminine
nominative	li	la, le 1	li	les
oblique	le 1	la 1	les	les
1 These singular forms elide to l' before a vowel or non-aspirate h.

Old French definite articles

Etymology 2

Either directly from Latin illī, dative singular of ille (“that one”), or from reduction of Old French lui, lei, themselves from Vulgar Latin *illui, *illei. This depends on whether the innovative forms had replaced illī entirely in Gaul or whether they existed side by side with it. Compare Italian gli, Spanish le, Portuguese lhe.

Pronoun

li

1. third-person singular indirect object pronoun; to him, to her, to it, chiefly atonic form of lui and lei
   • c. 1180, Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot ou le Chevalier de la charrette:

     Si li ancomancent a dire

     He started to tell him

Old Occitan

Etymology

From Latin ille (“that”).

Article

li

1. the (masculine nominative singular and plural definite article)

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *li.^[1][2] First attested in 1395. Displaced by Polish czy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /lʲi/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /lʲi/

Particle

li

1. (attested in Lesser Poland, Greater Poland) interrogative particle: introduces a yes-no question
   • 1939 [end of the 14th century], Ryszard Ganszyniec, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Kubica, Ludwik Bernacki, editors, Psałterz florjański łacińsko-polsko-niemiecki [Sankt Florian Psalter]‎, Krakow: Zakład Narodowy imienia Ossolińskich, z zasiłkiem Sejmu Śląskiego [The Ossoliński National Institute: with the benefit of the Silesian Parliament], pages 72, 11:

     Kaco bog we y iestli wedzene (si est scientia) na wysocosci?

     [Kako Bog wie? I jestli wiedzenie (si est scientia) na wysokości?]

   • 1959 [1395], Henryk Kowalewicz, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, editors, Wielkopolskie roty sądowe XIV-XV wieku, Roty poznańskie, volume I, number 187, Poznań:

     Kedi w wogewodi bili, tedi go szø pitali, moszeli goscza dafnoszcø sbicz

     [Kiedy u wojewody byli, tedy go się pytali, możeli gościa dawnością zbyć]

   1. (when reduplicated, attested in Pomerania, Greater Poland) whether … or
      • 1930 [c. 1455], “I Reg”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎, 14, 37:

        Mamly boiowacz s Fylystinmy a podaszly ge (num persequar Philisthiim, si trades eos) w røce israhelske?

        [Mamli bojować z Filistynmi a podaszli je (num persequar Philisthiim, si trades eos) w ręce israhelskie?]

      • 1930 [c. 1455], “Ex”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎, 17, 7:

        Gestly pan w nas czyly nyczs (estne..., an non)?

        [Jestli Pan w nas, czyli nics (estne..., an non)?]

      • 1930 [c. 1455-1460], Ortyle magdeburskie Vrtel 116-120, page 118:

        Pytalysczye nasz...: Gyestly k themv mvrowanemv domv nyewyasthą blyszką, czyly thy tho dzyeczy, czyly prawo

        [Pytaliście nas...: Jestli k temu murowanemu domu niewiasta bliska, czyli ty to dzieci, czyli [co jest] prawo]

      • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎, page 694:

        Nye vymy, gdzye y nam vyedzyono any vymy, yesczely zyw, albo yvzly vbyly

        [Nie wimy, gdzie ji nam wiedziono ani wimy, jeszczeli żyw, albo jużli ji ubili]

      • 1874-1891 [15th century], Rozprawy i Sprawozdania z Posiedzeń Wydziału Filologicznego Akademii Umiejętności‎^{, ,} , volume XXIV, Grochów, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Kcynia, page 68:

        Primo an liceat, moszeli, volnoli yest, secundo an deceat, podobnoli, tertio an expediat, pot[r]zebnoli

        [Primo an liceat, możeli, wolnoli jest, secundo an deceat, podobnoli, tertio an expediat, pot[r]zebnoli]

      • 1930 [c. 1455], “Num”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎, 13, 19:

        Opatrzicze... lvd, genze bydli w nyey, gestli silni, czili mdli, iestli mali, czili wyeliki (considerate... et populum, qui habitator est eius, utrum fortis sit, an infirmus, si pauci numero, an plures)

        [Opatrzycie... lud, jenże bydli w niej, jestli silny czyli mdły, jestli mały czyli wieliki (considerate... et populum, qui habitator est eius, utrum fortis sit, an infirmus, si pauci numero, an plures)]

      • 1861 [1427], Pismo poświęcone naukom, sztukom i przemysłowi‎, volume III, Biblioteka Warszawska, page 40:

        Szescz czlowyekow ranyono, o pyancz gich mowyą tim rasem, szostego *wygmugyo, czso leszy we szmyertnich ranach, bo nye wem, bądzeli szyw, abo umrze

        [Sześć człowiekow raniono, a pięć jich mowią tym razem, szostego wyjmują, cso leży we śmiertnych ranach, bo nie wiem, będzieli żyw, abo umrze]

2. and; and also
   • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎, page 48:

     Czczyenye o tem, gdzye Marya vtenczasz byla, kyedy anyol k nyey przyschedl, czoly czynyla albo myslyla

     [Czcienie o tem, gdzie Maryja wtenczas była, kiedy anjoł k niej przyszedl, coli czyniła albo myśliła]

Conjunction

li

1. (attested in Lesser Poland) Introduces a conditional; if
   • 1939 [end of the 14th century], Ryszard Ganszyniec, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Kubica, Ludwik Bernacki, editors, Psałterz florjański łacińsko-polsko-niemiecki [Sankt Florian Psalter]‎, Krakow: Zakład Narodowy imienia Ossolińskich, z zasiłkiem Sejmu Śląskiego [The Ossoliński National Institute: with the benefit of the Silesian Parliament], pages 129, 3:

     Bødzeszly lychoty chowacz (si iniquitates observaveris), pane, pane, kto sczyrzpy?

     [Będzieszli lichoty chować (si iniquitates observaveris), Panie, Panie, kto ścirzpi?]

   • 1895 [Fifteenth century], Franciszek Piekosiński, editor, Tłumaczenia polskie statutów ziemskich. Kodeks Działyńskich I‎, Lesser Poland, page 9:

     Ktoricole... zaklad weszmye..., tho gest konye abo gynsze bydlo..., nye mayą... dzelicz myedzy sobą, ale gestly zymye (si autem hiemali), tedy za tydzen, a gestly lecze (si fuerit in aestivo tempore), tedy za dwie nyedzeli mayą bycz chowany

     [Ktorykole... zakład weźmie..., to jest konie abo jinsze bydło..., nie mają... dzielić miedzy sobą, ale jestli zimie (si autem hiemali, Sul 22: paknięli zimie), tedy za tydzień, a jestli lecie (si fuerit in aestivo tempore), tedy za dwie niedzieli mają być chowany]

Derived terms

conjunctions

• atoli
• azali
• czyli
• jeśli

 

Related terms

conjunction

• albo
• ale
• le

 

Descendants

• Polish: li

References

1. Boryś, Wiesław (2005) “li”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
2. Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000) “li”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)

• B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “li”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈli/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -i
• Syllabification: li

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Polish li.^[1][2]

Particle

li

1. (archaic, literary) interrogative particle: introduces a yes-no question

   Synonym: czy

2. (archaic, literary) only

   Synonyms: jedynie, tylko

3. (Middle Polish) emphasis particle

Conjunction

li

1. (obsolete) if

   Synonym: jeśli

2. (Middle Polish) since, because

   Synonym: skoro

3. (Middle Polish) though

   Synonyms: acz, aczkolwiek, chociaż, mimo że

4. (Middle Polish) when

   Synonym: kiedy

5. (Middle Polish) or

   Synonyms: albo, bądź, czy, lub

Derived terms

conjunctions

• ali
• aniżeli
• aniżeliby

 

Related terms

conjunctions

• albo
• ale
• ali
• atoli
• czyli
• jeśli
• le

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Mandarin 里 (lǐ).

Noun

li n (indeclinable)

1. li (Chinese unit of distance)
2. li (Chinese unit of weight)

Etymology 3

From Mandarin 禮／礼 (lǐ).

Noun

li n (indeclinable)

1. li (meaningful ceremony or ritual)

References

1. Boryś, Wiesław (2005) “li”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
2. Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000) “li”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)

• Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “li”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]

Further reading

• li in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• li in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “li”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “li”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1902), “li”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 2, Warsaw, page 2730
• Witold Doroszewski, editor (1958–1969), “li”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), Warszawa: PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈli/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈli/

• Hyphenation: li
• Rhymes: -i

Verb

li

1. first-person singular preterite indicative of ler

Romagnol

Pronoun

li (plural le)

1. she

References

Ercolani, Libero (1971) Vocabolario Romagnolo-Italiano, Monte di Ravenna, page 232

Romanian

Pronoun

li (dative form of ele, form of le)

1. to them

Usage notes

This word is used when le (which is dative) is combined with the following accusatives:

• îl (the accusative of el, contracted as li-l)
• îi (the accusative of ei, contracted as li-i)
• le (the accusative of ele)
• se (the reflexive accusative of all third-person pronouns)

See also

• vi
• ni

Sassarese

Alternative forms

• -lli (pronoun, enclitic, used when previous syllable is stressed)
• -ri (pronoun, enclitic, used when previous syllable is unstressed)

Etymology

From Latin illī, illae, masculine and feminine plural forms of ille (“that”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/, (after a word ending in a vowel) /ri/

Article

li m pl or f pl

Sassarese definite articles
	singular	plural
masculine	lu/l'	li/l'
feminine	la/l'

1. the (masculine and feminine plural)

Usage notes

• Becomes l' before a vowel.

Pronoun

li m pl or f pl

1. (followed by chi) those

   Di curori vi ni so umbè. Ca so li chi tu priferi?

   There are lots of colors. Which ones do you prefer?

   (literally, “Of colors there are a lot. Which ones are those which you prefer?”)

2. them (accusative)

   Abà li zerchu ― I'll look for them (literally, “Now I look for them”)

3. dative of eddu

   Li cuzinu la trìglia ― I'll prepare him mullet (literally, “I cook to him the mullet”)

4. dative of edda

   Li fozzu li frisgiori ― I'll prepare her some flapjacks (literally, “I make to her the flapjacks”)

5. dative of eddi

References

• Rubattu, Antoninu (2006) Dizionario universale della lingua di Sardegna, 2nd edition, Sassari: Edes

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *li.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Particle

li (Cyrillic spelling ли)

1. question-forming interrogative particle (postpositive, unlike other particles, never first word in a sentence)

   poznaješ li me ― do you know me?

   jesi li stigao na odredište? ― did you reach the destination?

   jeste li ga vid(j)eli ― have you seen him?

   gd(j)e li se samo nalazimo? ― where could we be?

   kad li će doći? ― when will he/they come?

   je li? ― Is it? (Is that so? Isn't that so?)

2. used as conjunction with je (Croatia) or da (Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro)

   je/da li ― whether

   nemam pojma je/da li je došao ― I have no idea whether he came

3. (as a conjunction) if

   pokušaš li me napasti, ja ću ti uzvratiti ― should you try to attack me, I'll strike you back (when "li" is used in this sense, it is usually translated as a subjunctive form "should", and when "ako" is used, it is usually translated as "if" - ako me pokušaš napasti = if you try to attack me)

4. used as an emphatic intensifier

   a sn(ij)eg pada li pada ― the snow just keeps falling and falling...

   d(ij)ete plače li plače ― the child just keeps crying and crying...

See also

• zar (interrogative particle)

Sicilian

Alternative forms

• i

Etymology 1

From the conflation of the apheresis of Latin illī and illae, both nominative plurals of ille.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/ (stressed)
• IPA^(key): /li/ (unstressed)

Article

li m pl or f pl

1. (masculine and feminine plural definite article) the

   Synonym: i

Usage notes

• This article is nowadays an obsolete variant, unlike its illiquid counterpart i. It is currently used only in some restricted areas where it is still withheld in conversational communications.
• Today it is mostly used in crystallized contexts, such as singing, poetry or sayings and proverbs. In all these cases this definite article is more euphonetic than the variants, now predominant, which have undergone the lenition of the initial liquid consonant.
• Its use is however almost undisputed before nouns (or nominalized forms of other parts of speech, most often adjectives) that begin with vowels. In this case the form is an apocopic l'. Otherwise, illiquid definite articles are phonetically absorbed by the following noun. I.e: l'arancini (liquid) and ârancini (illiquid).

Inflection

Sicilian articles
	Masculine singular definite article	Feminine singular definite article	Masculine and feminine plural definite article
Definite articles (liquid)	lu	la	li
Definite articles (illiquid)	u	a	i
Definite articles	nu (also: un, 'n)	na

Etymology 2

From the conflation of the apheresis of Latin illī and illae, both nominative plurals of ille.

Alternative forms

• -li (enclitic)
• i (illiquid form)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/ (stressed)
• IPA^(key): /li/ (unstressed)

Pronoun

li m pl or f pl

1. (accusative) them

   Synonym: i

   Li canusci? ― Do you know them?

2. (accusative) them, these or those thing

   Synonym: i

   Quannu ti li desi. ― When I gave them to you.

Usage notes

• This pronoun is now an obsolete variant. It is currently used only in some restricted areas where it is still withheld in conversational communications.
• Today it is mostly used in crystallized contexts, such as singing, poetry or sayings and proverbs. In all these cases this definite article is more euphonetic than the variants, now predominant, which have undergone the lenition of the initial liquid consonant.
• Its use is however almost undisputed before words that begin with vowels. In this case the form is an apocopic l'.

Sumerian

Romanization

li

1. Romanization of 𒇷 (li)

Swahili

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-li

1. general relative positive degree stem of -wa, -wapo, -wako, or -wamo

   mambo yaliomo ― the things which are inside

Tedim Chin

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ləj.

Numeral

li

1. four

References

• Zomi Ordbog based on the work of D.L. Haokip

Tooro

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *dɪ̀ (“to be”, irregular verb). Cognate with Kikuyu -rĩ.

Verb

-li (defective)

1. to be, to exist

   Synonyms: -ba, ni

   Tuli Batooro. ― We are Tooro people.

   • 2008, Ekitabu Ekirukwera N'Ebitabu Ebyeetwa Deturokanoniko/Apokurifa [Bible in Runyoro/Rutooro Interconfessional Translation], Bible Society of Uganda, Okubanza 4:9:

     Aho MUKAMA yakaguza Kaini ati: “Abberi owanyoko ali nkaha?” Kaini yagarukamu ati: “Tindukumanya; ninyowe mulinzi w'Owanyina nyowe?”

     Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

2. to become

   Synonym: -ba

Usage notes

• Since this is a defective verb, it does not have many conjugations, and the remaining conjugations needed are constructed using -ba as an auxiliary verb. For example, the 1st person singular negative remote past of -li is nkaba ntali (literally, “I was not being”).
• This verb removes the augment of the noun after it (e.g. ndi manzi, not *ndi emanzi "I am a courageous person").
• The 3rd person singular present and 3rd person plural present forms are usually only used after a locative class or a place name. In other cases, the noun is almost always left augmentless (e.g. muntu "he/she is a person").

Conjugation

Tensed forms
Positive present (subject concord + -li) Person Noun class Singular Plural 1st person ndi tuli 2nd person oli muli 3rd person 1/2 ali bali 3/4 guli eri 5/6 liri gali 7/8 kiri biri 9/10 eri ziri 11/10 ruli 12/14 kali buli 13 tuli 14/6 buli gali 15/6 kuli 16 hali
Negative present (ti- + subject concord + -li) Person Noun class Singular Plural 1st person tindi tituli 2nd person toli timuli 3rd person 1/2 tali tibali 3/4 tiguli teri 5/6 tiriri tigali 7/8 tikiri tibiri 9/10 teri tiziri 11/10 tiruli 12/14 tikali tibuli 13 tituli 14/6 tibuli tigali 15/6 tikuli 16 tihali
Positive present continuative (subject concord + -kyali) Person Noun class Singular Plural 1st person nkyali tukyali 2nd person okyali mukyali 3rd person 1/2 akyali bakyali 3/4 gukyali ekyali 5/6 likyali gakyali 7/8 kikyali bikyali 9/10 ekyali zikyali 11/10 rukyali 12/14 kakyali bukyali 13 tukyali 14/6 bukyali gakyali 15/6 kukyali 16 hakyali
Negative present continuative (ti- + subject concord + -kyali) Person Noun class Singular Plural 1st person tinkyali titukyali 2nd person tokyali timukyali 3rd person 1/2 takyali tibakyali 3/4 tigukyali tekyali 5/6 tirikyali tigakyali 7/8 tikikyali tibikyali 9/10 tekyali tizikyali 11/10 tirukyali 12/14 tikakyali tibukyali 13 titukyali 14/6 tibukyali tigakyali 15/6 tikukyali 16 tihakyali
Positive past (subject concord + -ali) Person Noun class Singular Plural 1st person nali twali 2nd person wali mwali 3rd person 1/2 yali baali 3/4 gwali yali 5/6 lyali gaali 7/8 kyali byali 9/10 yali zaali 11/10 rwali 12/14 kaali bwali 13 twali 14/6 bwali gaali 15/6 kwali 16 haali
For more conjugations, see -ba.

Conjugation of -li (defective verb)

Derived terms

• -roho (“to be at/on something, to be present”)
• -rumu (“to be in something”)
• -liyo (“to be there”)
• -raha (“where is it?, where are they?”)
• -ruku-, -liku-

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *dɪ́á (“that, those”). Cognate with Swahili -le.

Determiner

-li

1. that, those (distal demonstrative determiner)

Declension

Noun class	non-copulative		copulative
	singular	plural	singular	plural
1/2	oli	bali	nguli	mbali
3/4	guli	eri	nguli	ngiri
5/6	liri	gali	ndiri	ngali
7/8	kiri	biri	nkiri	mbiri
9/10	eri	ziri	ngiri	nziri
11/10	ruli		nduli
12/14	kali	buli	nkali	mbuli
13		tuli		ntuli
14/6	buli	gali	mbuli	ngali
15/6	kuli		nkuli
16	hali		mpali
17	kuli
18	muli

Inflected forms of -li

See also

• -nu (“this (proximal demonstrative determiner)”)

References

• Kaji, Shigeki (2007) A Rutooro Vocabulary‎, Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), →ISBN, pages 313-315, 409
• Entry 940 at Bantu Lexical Reconstructions 3
• Entry 945 at Bantu Lexical Reconstructions 3

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• ly

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [li˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [lɪj˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [lɪj˧˧]

Etymology 1

Sino-Vietnamese word from 璃 (“glass”).

Noun

(classifier cái) li

1. cup; glass

Derived terms

Derived terms

• li cối

 

See also

• chén; cốc; tách

Etymology 2

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

Noun

li

1. a crease (a line or mark made by folding or doubling any pliable substance)

Volapük

Particle

li

1. Appended with a hyphen to a verb, it turns the entire clause it is in into a question.

Walloon

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li/

Article

li (after an open syllable and/or before a vowel: l', plural: les, plural after an open syllable and before a vowel: ls)

1. the

   Li mwaisse ― The master

   Li maistrece ― The mistress

   L' ome ― The man

   C' est li l' mwaisse ― He is the master

   Les måjhons ― The houses

   Les omes ― The men

   Çou sont ls åtes tchesteas ― These are the other castles

Pronoun

li

1. him, her, it (direct object, before verb)

   C' est li l' mwaisse ― It's him who's the master

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l̪i/

Adverb

li

1. also

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎, Pacific linguistics

Yoruba

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lí/

Noun

lí

1. The name of the Latin-script letter L/l.

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) lẹ́tà; á, bí, dí, é, ẹ́, fí, gí, gbì, hí, í, jí, kí, lí, mí, ní, ó, ọ́, pí, rí, sí, ṣí, tí, ú, wí, yí

Zou

Zou cardinal numbers

<  3	4	5  >
Cardinal : li

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *lii, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ləj. Cognates include Burmese လေး (le:) and Nuosu ꇖ (ly).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lī/
• Hyphenation: li

Numeral

li

1. four

References

• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 40
• Philip Thanglienmang (2014) “Zou Tonology”, in Indian Linguistics, volume 75, numbers 1-2, →ISSN