bi

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "bi"

English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Clipping of bisexual.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi (not comparable)

  1. (LGBT, slang) Bisexual.[1]
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:bisexual
    Coordinate terms: pan, mono
    I'm straight, but my oldest sister is bi.
  2. (LGBT, slang, uncommon) Bigender.
Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi (plural bis)

  1. (LGBT, slang) A bisexual person.[1]
    • 1991 October 10, Ken Jones, “Re: Bisexual privilege? (Was Re: Tom Robinson Concert”, in soc.motss, Usenet‎[2]:
      For some reason, I'm feeling _very_ sensitive to bi-discrimination tonight. I'm really not trying to mock the points being made here, it's just that many of the same arguments can be turned around and used to describe the discrimination that bis face.
    Synonyms: bisexual; see also Thesaurus:bisexual person

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Mandarin 璧 (bì)

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi (plural bi)

  1. A type of jade disk produced in ancient China.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 A. F. Niemoeller, "A Glossary of Homosexual Slang," Fact 2, no. 1 (Jan-Feb 1965): 25

Anagrams[edit]

Albanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

A short form of bijë, from archaic bilë ("daughter, girl").

Interjection[edit]

bi

  1. A friendly exclamation to a person (female).
    Fol bi, Dritë!
    Speak, therefore, Dritë!
  2. An exclamation of surprise (to a female person).
    Bi! Po ç'është kjo?
    Girl! What is this?
    Po ç'është kjo, bi?
    What is this, girl?

Related terms[edit]

Bambara[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. today

See also[edit]

Basque[edit]

Basque numbers (edit)
20
 ←  1 2 3  → 
    Cardinal: bi
    Ordinal: bigarren
    Multiplier: bikoitz
    Fractional: erdi

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Probably from Proto-Basque *biga (“two”), given the fact that dialectal form like biga and bida (with *-g- > -d-) are phonetically more conservative.[1][2] Often compared with Iberian bi (“two”).[3]

Pronunciation[edit]

Numeral[edit]

bi

  1. two

Usage notes[edit]

This number can appear after the noun, especially in Biscay; but, just like all other numerals apart from bat, it is much more commonly placed before the noun.

Declension[edit]

Declension of bi (numeral, ending in vowel)
indefinite singular plural
absolutive bi bia biak
ergative bik biak biek
dative biri biari biei
genitive biren biaren bien
comitative birekin biarekin biekin
causative birengatik biarengatik biengatik
benefactive birentzat biarentzat bientzat
instrumental biz biaz biez
inessive anim. birengan biarengan biengan
inanim. bitan bian bietan
locative anim. — — —
inanim. bitako biko bietako
allative anim. birengana biarengana biengana
inanim. bitara bira bietara
terminative anim. birenganaino biarenganaino bienganaino
inanim. bitaraino biraino bietaraino
directive anim. birenganantz biarenganantz bienganantz
inanim. bitarantz birantz bietarantz
destinative anim. birenganako biarenganako bienganako
inanim. bitarako birako bietarako
ablative anim. birengandik biarengandik biengandik
inanim. bitatik bitik bietatik
partitive birik — —
prolative bitzat — —

References[edit]

  1. ^ “bi” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk
  2. ^ Mitxelena, Koldo L. (1961) Fonética histórica vasca [Basque Historical Phonetics] (Obras completas de Luis Michelena; 1) (in Spanish), Diputación Foral de Guipuzkoa, published 1990, →ISBN, page 413
  3. ^ Orduña A., Eduardo (2011), “Los numerales ibéricos y el protovasco [Iberian numerals and Proto-Basque]”, in Veleia‎[1] (in Spanish), volume 28, pages 125–139

Further reading[edit]

  • “bi” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
  • “bi” in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
  • Azkue, Resurrección María de (1905–1906), “bi”, in Diccionario vasco-español-francés = Dictionnaire basque-espagnol-français [Basque-Spanish-French Dictionary] (in Spanish and French), volume 1, Bilbao, page 162

Bislama[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English bee.

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. bee

Borôro[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. to die

Bura[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bì

  1. bin for grain storage

References[edit]

Danish[edit]

Danish Wikipedia has articles on:
bi and Bier
Wikipedia daWikipedia da

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Norse bý, from Proto-Germanic *bijō, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰey-. Cognate with English bee.

Noun[edit]

bi c (singular definite bien, plural indefinite bier)

  1. bee
Inflection[edit]
Declension of bi
common
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative bi bien bier bierne
genitive bis biens biers biernes

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Borrowed from Middle Low German bī, from Proto-Germanic *bi (“near, around”). Related to English by and German bei

Adverb[edit]

bi

  1. by
Usage notes[edit]
  • Only in certain fixed phrases that are borrowed from German, like stå bi (German beistehen).

Etymology 3[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. imperative of bie

Dongxiang[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Mongolic *bi (“I”), compare Mongolian би (bi).

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

bi (Xiaojing spelling بی‎)

  1. I (first-person singular personal pronoun)

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Clipping of biseksueel.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi (invariable, comparative meer bi, superlative meest bi)

  1. (colloquial) bisexual

Finnish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈbi/, [ˈbi]
  • IPA(key): /ˈbiː/, [ˈbiː]
  • Rhymes: -i
  • Syllabification: bi

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. (colloquial) bi (bisexual)

Declension[edit]

Declension of bi (type maa)
singular plural
nominative bi bit
genitive bin biiden
biitten
partitive bitä biitä
accusative bi
bin 		bit
inessive bissä biissä
elative bistä biistä
illative bihin biihin
adessive billä biillä
ablative biltä biiltä
allative bille biille
essive binä biinä
translative biksi biiksi
instructive – biin
abessive bittä biittä
comitative – biineen

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From bissexuel, or possibly directly from English bi

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi m or f (plural bis)

  1. bi, bisexual person

Adjective[edit]

bi (invariable)

  1. bi, bisexual

Further reading[edit]

German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi (not comparable)

  1. (informal) bi

Gothic[edit]

Romanization[edit]

bi

  1. Romanization of 𐌱𐌹

Guerrero Amuzgo[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi

  1. green

Isthmus Zapotec[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. wind

Italian[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

  • be (obsolete, regional)

Etymology[edit]

From Latin bē (the name of the letter B).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈbi/
  • Rhymes: -i
  • Hyphenation: bì

Noun[edit]

bi f (invariable)

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter B.; bee

See also[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Romanization[edit]

bi

  1. Rōmaji transcription of び
  2. Rōmaji transcription of ビ

Kalasha[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit बीज (bīja), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *bíHȷ́am. Cognate with Konkani बी (bī) and Parachi bīz (“seed-corn”).

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. a seed
  2. semen
  3. moth larva

Related terms[edit]

Kaure[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. water

References[edit]

  • C. L. Voorhoeve, 1975. Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, p.108
  • Bill Palmer, editor (2018) The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide, Padua: De Gruyter Mouton, OCLC 1050042990, page 457

Low German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Saxon bī, from Proto-Germanic *bi.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bi

  1. at, with
    Bi us is dat ümmer Feest.
    With us it's always a party.
  2. by
    Wi wahnt in en Huus bi de Meer.
    I live in a house by the lake.
  3. around, about (often in combination with üm)
    Dat weer üm bi so'n twintig Johr vör.
    It was about twenty years ago.

Inflection[edit]

Pronominal adverbs of bi
preposition bi
postpositional adv. bi
+ her (hither) —
+ düt (this) hierbi
+ dat (that) dorbi
+ wat (what) wobi
+ wat (something) enerwegens bi
+ nix (nothing) nargens bi
+ allens (everything) överall bi

Adverb[edit]

bi

  1. alongside, with
  2. in order to adjust or improve

Manchu[edit]

Romanization[edit]

bi

  1. Romanization of ᠪᡳ

Mandarin[edit]

Romanization[edit]

bi

  1. Nonstandard spelling of bī.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of bí.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of bǐ.
  4. Nonstandard spelling of bì.

Usage notes[edit]

  • English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

Middle Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Dutch bi, from Proto-West Germanic *bī.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bi

  1. by, near, around
  2. beside, alongside
  3. at, with
  4. among
  5. during
  6. by (the work of)
  7. because of

Descendants[edit]

  • Dutch: bij
  • Limburgish: bie

Adverb[edit]

bi

  1. by, near, around

Descendants[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • “bi (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “bi (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “bi”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Middle English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old English bi, from Proto-Germanic *bi.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bi

  1. by
    • 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41
      And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”

Descendants[edit]

References[edit]

Mirandese[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. first-person singular preterite indicative of ber: I saw.
    • 2011, Ana Afonso, L Princepico Chapter 1:
      Quando you tenie seis anhos, bi ua beça ua eimaige mi guapa nun lhibro subre la floresta birge que se chamaba "Stórias Bibidas".
      • 1948 translation by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
        Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest.

North Frisian[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi f

  1. (Mooring) bee

Northern Kurdish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Iranian Proto-Iranian *pati-.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bi

  1. by
  2. with

Nzadi[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

bǐ

  1. we (first-person plural pronoun)

See also[edit]

Nzadi personal pronouns
singular plural
1st person mǐ` bǐ
2nd person yǎ` byɛ̌n
3rd person human ndé bɔ̌
3rd person nonhuman nɔ̌ mɔ̌

Old Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-West Germanic *bī.

Preposition[edit]

bī

  1. by, near
  2. at, with

Descendants[edit]

  • Middle Dutch: bi

Further reading[edit]

  • “bī”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *bi (“near, by, around, about”), q.v.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bī

  1. about (concerning)
  2. by, in various senses:
    1. near or next to
    2. not later than
    3. based on, according to

Descendants[edit]

Old High German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-West Germanic *bī, from Proto-Germanic *bi, whence also Old English bi.

Preposition[edit]

bī

  1. by
  2. at

Descendants[edit]

  • Alemannic German:
  • German: bei
  • Vilamovian: by
  • Yiddish: בײַ‎ (bay)

Old Saxon[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *bi, whence also Old English bi.

Preposition[edit]

bī

  1. by, near, to
  2. beside

Descendants[edit]

Phalura[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Particle[edit]

bi (discourse, Perso-Arabic spelling بیۡ)

  1. also, too
  2. else, at all
  3. even

References[edit]

  • Liljegren, Henrik; Haider, Naseem (2011) Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎[3], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Portuguese[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Rhymes: -i

Adjective[edit]

bi (plural bi, comparable)

  1. bisexual (sexually attracted to persons of either sex)
    Synonym: bissexual

Noun[edit]

bi m, f (plural bis)

  1. bisexual (bisexual person)
    Synonym: bissexual

Sardinian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin ibi.

Pronoun[edit]

bi (adverbial)

  1. there (at a place)
  2. there, thither (to there)
    Synonym: i, nche

Scots[edit]

Preposition[edit]

bi

  1. by

Scottish Gaelic[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Irish bí. Cognate with Irish bí and Manx bee.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /pi/
  • Hyphenation: bi

Verb[edit]

bi (past bha, future bidh, verbal noun bhith)

  1. (copulative) to be
  2. (intransitive) to exist

Inflection[edit]

Conjugation of bi (highly irregular)
First sg Second sg Third sg m Third sg f First pl Second pl Third pl
Independent Present tha mi tha thu tha e tha i tha sinn tha sibh tha iad
Past bha mi bha thu bha e bha i bha sinn bha sibh bha iad
Future bidh mi
bithidh mi 		bidh tu
bithidh tu 		bidh e
bithidh e 		bidh i
bithidh i 		bidh sinn
bithidh sinn 		bidh sibh
bithidh sibh 		bidh iad
bithidh iad
Conditional bhithinn bhiodh tu
bhitheadh tu 		bhiodh e
bhitheadh e 		bhiodh i
bhitheadh i 		bhiomaid
bhitheamaid 		bhiodh sibh
bhitheadh sibh 		bhiodh iad
bhitheadh iad
Imperative bitheam bi biodh e
bitheadh e 		biodh i
bitheadh i 		biomaid
bitheamaid 		bithibh biodh iad
bitheadh iad
Negative Present chan eil mi chan eil thu chan eil e chan eil i chan eil sinn chan eil sibh chan eil iad
Past cha robh mi cha robh thu cha robh e cha robh i cha robh sinn cha robh sibh cha robh iad
Future cha bhi mi cha bhi thu cha bhi e cha bhi i cha bhi sinn cha bhi sibh cha bhi iad
Conditional cha bhithinn cha bhiodh tu
cha bhitheadh tu 		cha bhiodh e
cha bhitheadh e 		cha bhiodh i
cha bhitheadh i 		cha bhiomaid
cha bhitheamaid 		cha bhiodh sibh
cha bhitheadh sibh 		cha bhiodh iad
cha bhitheadh iad
Affirmative
Interrogative 		Present a bheil mi? a bheil thu? a bheil e? a bheil i? a bheil sinn? a bheil sibh? a bheil iad?
Past an robh mi? an robh thu? an robh e? an robh i? an robh sinn? an robh sibh? an robh iad?
Future am bi mi? am bi thu? am bi e? am bi i? am bi sinn? am bi sibh? am bi iad?
Conditional am bithinn? am biodh tu?
am bitheadh tu? 		am biodh e?
am bitheadh e? 		am biodh i?
am bitheadh i? 		am biomaid?
am bhitheamaid? 		am biodh sibh?
am bitheadh sibh? 		am biodh iad?
am bitheadh iad?
Negative
Interrogative 		Present nach eil mi? nach eil thu? nach eil e? nach eil i? nach eil sinn? nach eil sibh? nach eil iad?
Past nach robh mi? nach robh thu? nach robh e? nach robh i? nach robh sinn? nach robh sibh? nach robh iad?
Future nach bi mi? nach bi thu? nach bi e? nach bi i? nach bi sinn? nach bi sibh? nach bi iad?
Conditional nach bithinn? nach biodh tu?
nach bitheadh tu? 		nach biodh e?
nach bitheadh e? 		nach biodh i?
nach bitheadh i? 		nach biomaid?
nach bhitheamaid? 		nach biodh sibh?
nach bitheadh sibh? 		nach biodh iad?
nach bitheadh iad?
Relative
future 		Affirmative (ma) bitheas mi (ma) bitheas tu (ma) bitheas e (ma) bitheas i (ma) bitheas sinn (ma) bitheas sibh (ma) bitheas iad
Negative (mur) bi mi (mur) bi tu (mur) bi e (mur) bi i (mur) bi sinn (mur) bi sibh (mur) bi iad
Infinitive a bhith
Conjugation of is (highly irregular, defective)
First sg Second sg Third sg m Third sg f First pl Second pl Third pl
Independent Present is mi is thu is e is i is sinn is sibh is iad
Past bu mi bu thu b'e b'i bu sinn bu sibh b'iad
Conditional
Negative Present cha mhi cha tu chan e chan i cha sinn cha sibh chan iad
Past cha bu mi cha bu thu cha b'e cha b'i cha bu sinn cha bu sibh cha b'iad
Conditional
Affirmative
Interrogative 		Present am mi? an tu? an e? an i? an sinn? an sibh? an iad?
Past am bu mi am bu thu am b'e am b'i am bu sinn am bu sibh am b'iad
Conditional
Negative
Interrogative 		Present nach mi? nach tu? nach e? nach i? nach sinn? nach sibh? nach iad?
Past nach bu mi nach bu thu nach b'e nach b'i nach bu sinn nach bu sibh nach b'iad
Conditional
Conjugation of thathar (highly irregular, defective, impersonal)
Present Past Future
Independent thathar, thatar, thathas bhathar, bhatar, bhathas bithear, bitear, bitheas
Negative chan eilear, chan eileas cha robhas, cha robhar cha bithear, cha bitear, cha bitheas
Affirmative interrogative am beilear? am beileas?
a bheilear? a bheileas? 		an robhas? an robhar? am bithear? am biteas?
Negative interrogative nach eilear? nach eileas? nach robhas? nach robhar? nach bithear? nach bitear? nach bitheas?

Related terms[edit]

Mutation[edit]

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical Lenition
bi bhi
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References[edit]

  • Colin Mark (2003), “bi”, in The Gaelic-English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 75
  • Edward Dwelly (1911), “bi”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. second-person singular aorist of biti
    On bi tamo jučer. (archaic)
    He was there yesterday.
  2. third-person singular aorist of biti
    On bi u školi tad. (archaic)
    She was at school then.
  3. (colloquial, conditional) aorist of biti; would
    Ja bi također išao da mogu. ― I would go as well if I could.
    Je li bi htio ići s nama? ― Would you like to go with us?
    Ivana bi htjela ići s nama. ― Ivana would like to go with us.
    Mi/Oni bi voljeli jednog dana posjetiti Japan. ― We/They would like to visit Japan one day.
    Voljeli bi jednog dana posjetiti Japan. ― We/They would like to visit Japan one day.

Usage notes[edit]

  • In colloquial Serbo-Croatian, bi is commonly used in place of other aorist forms when forming conditional of biti in both singular and plural if the subject is deducible from context (usually from the conjugated form of the verb). That is, bi is a shared shorthand for bih, bismo, biste and biše.

Solon[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Tungusic *bi. Cognate with Evenki би (bi), Manchu ᠪᡳ (bi).

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

bi

  1. I

Southern Ndebele[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Bantu *-bɪ́ɪ̀.

Adjective[edit]

-bí

  1. bad
  2. evil
  3. ugly

Inflection[edit]

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Spanish[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi (invariable)

  1. bi (bisexual)

Swazi[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Bantu *-bɪ́ɪ̀.

Adjective[edit]

-bí

  1. bad
  2. evil
  3. ugly

Inflection[edit]

Adjective concord, tone H
Modifier Copulative
1st singular lengimubi ngimubi
2nd singular lomubi umubi
1st plural lesibabi sibabi
2nd plural lenibabi nibabi
Class 1 lomubi mubi
Class 2 lababi babi
Class 3 lomubi mubi
Class 4 lemibi mibi
Class 5 lelibi libi
Class 6 lamabi mabi
Class 7 lesibi sibi
Class 8 letimbi timbi
Class 9 lembi imbi
Class 10 letimbi timbi
Class 11 lolubi lubi
Class 14 lobubi bubi
Class 15 lokubi kubi
Class 17 lokubi kubi

Swedish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Swedish bī, bȳ, from Old Norse bý, from Proto-Germanic *bijō, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰī-.

Noun[edit]

bi n

  1. bee
Usage notes[edit]
  • More rare spellings of the definite forms are bit/bits (singular) and bien/biens (plural). However, the spellings in the inflection box are the most common.
Declension[edit]
Declension of bi 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative bi biet bin bina
Genitive bis biets bins binas

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Adjective[edit]

bi

  1. (informal) bisexual

Etymology 3[edit]

Adverb[edit]

bi (not comparable)

  1. (in some fixed expressions) by
Related terms[edit]

Tok Pisin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English bee.

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. bee

Turkish[edit]

Numeral[edit]

bi

  1. Contraction of bir.

Vietnamese[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 悲.

Adjective[edit]

bi

  1. (only in compounds) sad; sorrowful
Derived terms[edit]
Derived terms

Etymology 2[edit]

Borrowed from French bille.

Noun[edit]

(classifier cục, hòn, viên) bi

  1. a marble (spherical ball)
    bắn bi ― to shoot marbles
  2. (billiards, snooker) a ball
    bi cái ― a cue ball
  3. (slang) a ball (testicle)
    Á! Dập bi tao rồi!
    Ow! My bawlls popped!
Derived terms[edit]
Derived terms

Volapük[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

bi

  1. because

Welsh[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi f (plural biau)

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter B.

Mutation[edit]

This word cannot be mutated.

See also[edit]

Xhosa[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Bantu *-bɪ́ɪ̀.

Adjective[edit]

-bí

  1. bad
  2. evil
  3. ugly

Inflection[edit]

Adjective concord, tone H
Modifier Copulative
positive negative positive negative
1st singular endimbi endingembi ndimbi andimbi
2nd singular ombi ongembi umbi awumbi
1st plural esibabi esingebabi sibabi asibabi
2nd plural enibabi eningebabi nibabi anibabi
Class 1 ombi ongembi mbi akambi
Class 2 ababi abangebabi babi abababi
Class 3 ombi ongembi mbi awumbi
Class 4 emibi engemibi mibi ayimibi
Class 5 elibi elingelibi libi alilibi
Class 6 amabi angemabi mabi awamabi
Class 7 esibi esingesibi sibi asisibi
Class 8 ezimbi ezingezimbi zimbi azizimbi
Class 9 embi engembi imbi ayiyimbi
Class 10 ezimbi ezingezimbi zimbi azizimbi
Class 11 olubi olungelubi lubi alulubi
Class 14 obubi obungebubi bubi abububi
Class 15 okubi okungekubi kubi akukubi
Class 17 okubi okungekubi kubi akukubi

Yoruba[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Noun[edit]

bí

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter B.

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

bí

  1. (conditional) if
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

bí

  1. (subordinating conjunction) how
    Wọ́n kọ́ wa bí a ti lè ṣe é.
    They taught us how to do it.
  2. Alternative spelling of bíi (“like, as”)

Etymology 4[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

bí

  1. when, as soon as
    Bí a ti jáde ni wọ́n dé.
    As soon as we left, they arrived.

Etymology 5[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

bí

  1. subordinating conjunction used solely with intensifiers such as àfi, àyàmọ̀, àyàṣe, and àdàmọ̀

Etymology 6[edit]

Particle[edit]

bí

  1. question marker that can be used at the end of a yes-no question
    Ẹ̀yin lọ bí? ― Did you go?

Etymology 7[edit]

Verb[edit]

bí

  1. (transitive) to give birth to
    Ọmọ mẹ́rin l'ó bí.
    She gave birth to four children.
  2. (intransitive) to increase
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 8[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. (transitive) to ask, to interrogate
    Mo bi í nípà àwọn ọ̀rẹ̀ rẹ̀.
    I asked him about his friends.
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 9[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. (transitive) to push, to jostle

Etymology 10[edit]

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. (transitive) to cause one to gain an evil reward for a prior evil committed

Etymology 11[edit]

Verb[edit]

bì

  1. (transitive) to vomit, to throw up

Verb[edit]

bi

  1. Alternative form of bì (“to vomit”) used before object nouns
    Ó ti bi oúnjẹ rẹ̀.
    He's thrown up his food.

Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 12[edit]

Verb[edit]

bì

  1. (intransitive) to sway, to push back

Zaghawa[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bi

  1. water

References[edit]

Zhuang[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Proto-Tai *piːᴬ (“year”). Cognate with Thai ปี (bpii), Northern Thai ᨸᩦ, Lao ປີ (pī), Lü ᦔᦲ (ṗii), Shan ပီ (pǐi), Tai Nüa ᥙᥤ (pi), Phake ပီ (pī), Ahom 𑜆𑜣 (pī), Bouyei bil.

Classifier[edit]

bi (Sawndip forms 𭯌 or 𭽨 or 𭙂, old orthography bi)

  1. year
    Synonym: nienz
  2. year old
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

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

Verb[edit]

bi (old orthography bi)

  1. (intransitive) to swing; to sway; to rock
  2. (transitive) to swing; to rock; to wag
  3. to swing (on a swing)

Zou[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ɓuu, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pru(w). Cognates include Mandarin 胞 (bāo, “womb”)

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /bǐ/
  • Hyphenation: bi

Noun[edit]

bí

  1. nest

References[edit]

  • Philip Thanglienmang (2014), “Zou Tonology”, in Indian Linguistics, volume 75, issue 1-2, ISSN 0378-0759

Zulu[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Bantu *-bɪ́ɪ̀.

Adjective[edit]

-bí

  1. bad
  2. evil
  3. ugly

Inflection[edit]

Adjective concord, tone H
Modifier Copulative
positive negative positive negative
1st singular engimubi engingemubi ngimubi angimubi
2nd singular omubi ongemubi umubi awumubi
1st plural esibabi esingebabi sibabi asibabi
2nd plural enibabi eningebabi nibabi anibabi
Class 1 omubi ongemubi mubi akamubi
Class 2 ababi abangebabi babi abababi
Class 3 omubi ongemubi mubi awumubi
Class 4 emibi engemibi mibi ayimibi
Class 5 elibi elingelibi libi alilibi
Class 6 amabi angemabi mabi awamabi
Class 7 esibi esingesibi sibi asisibi
Class 8 ezimbi ezingezimbi zimbi azizimbi
Class 9 embi engembi, engeyimbi imbi, yimbi ayiyimbi
Class 10 ezimbi ezingezimbi zimbi azizimbi
Class 11 olubi olungelubi lubi alulubi
Class 14 obubi obungebubi bubi abububi
Class 15 okubi okungekubi kubi akukubi
Class 17 okubi okungekubi kubi akukubi

Derived terms[edit]

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