Please note that this dictionary is still incomplete and will be edited from time to time. I will be compiling the terminologies and words as i remember them. The spelling that is used here is early romanised version of the Mukah Melanau language.
A
a - people, person (also see apah)
aba - edge/ corner
aba' (pronounce as abak) - westward
aban - a type of fish
abe' (abek) also known as tabe' - coconut shell
abei - afternoon
abet (pronounce e as in err) – pull
abo (abou) - ash
abu' (abuk) - aunt
abut (pronounce u as oo in boot) - heart of the coconut
adam - rot
adan - end/ finishing line
ade' (adek) - short (also see adi')
adi' (adik) – short
age’ (agek) - show off
agaeng - take hot food from the stove/take hot clothes from the line
agaeng - take hot food from the stove/take hot clothes from the line
agem - hold
ajau - now
ako (akou) - I
alo (alou) – long
alud - seawards
aman - to float (paman - to float away)
amen ((pronounce e as in err) - to fill one's mouth with food
amo (amou) - ghost
amut - root
angai - very
apah - person/people
apa'(apak) - shout/father (also see papa'(papak) -shout)
and (also see tama - father)
apa'(apak) - shout/father (also see papa'(papak) -shout)
and (also see tama - father)
apeng - mad
apui - fire
asa’ (asak) - whet/sharpen
aso (asou) - dog
atai - liver
atai sup - pancreas
ate' (atek) - wait
ati' (atik) - to make a ticking sound (also see mati’/pati’)
ayad - wave (also see paleg)
ayeng - big/great/grand
ayun - to swing/swing (payun - swinging/ giddy)
ayun - to swing/swing (payun - swinging/ giddy)
B.
ba - to open ( ba menaweng - open the door)
ba' (bak) - to use
ba' (bak) - to use
ba'ai - to go down
ba'an - side dish
baat - heavy
baban - traditional clothes of the Melanau, usually black in colour.
babat - net
babui - pig
bade' (badek) - dawn
ba'ei - stale
baih - after
bakit - to raise an old debt
bakut - coffin
bakut - coffin
balei - doll/puppet
bale’ (balek) - banana
bangsa - type/race
ba'o - new
bao - up/high (as opposed to diba' - down/low)
ba'oh – bruise
babel - confuse
bakul – basket
bakut -
bap - squirrel/light bulb
bareng - thing
barong - seagoing vessel (barong panau)
bat - to lay (bebat pan - lay the mat)
bata' (batak) - brick
bate' (batek) - break
baten - in the middle of doing something ( baten keman - while eating)
bateng (pronounce e as in err) - in the prime (bateng jemelai - prime of youth/bateng deraih - prime of strength)
bateng (pronounce e as a in ate)- log
bati' (batik) - break
bato (batou) – stone
baya - pay/crocodile
be’ (bek) (pronounce e as in err) - to pour
be' (bek) (pronounce e as in error) - blade
beba' ( bebak) - mouth
bebah – break
bebat - to lay mattress/mat.
bebo’ (bebok) - hole (also see bebu’)
bebu’ (bebuk) - hole (also see bebo’)
bebug - poke
bebuhan - male private parts, (titab bebuhan - to castrate)
bed (pronounce e as in err) - tied
bekiko’ (bekikok) - uneven
belabei – turtle
beliliek - lizard
beliliek - lizard
belanga - community oven made of clay usually used for making sago pellets or biscuits
beleng - forehead
beliko’ (belikok) - bent
belipeh - lizard
belipeh - lizard
besiko (besikou) - elbow
beteh - thigh
betuka – intestines/motorcar
bibah - break
bibe' (bibek) - cut open/operate
bibed - tie
bibo’ (bibok) - to make a hole (also see bibu’)
bibu’ (bibuk) to make a hole (also see bibo’)
bibug - to poke
biko’ (bikok) - bend
bilong - hang
biyah - run
biyaih – body
bo’ (bouk) - hair
bua' (buak) – fruit
bubur - porridge (also see deduhoh)
buda' (budak) - foam
budei - lie/untruth/false
budo' (budok) - foot
bukeng - corpse
buko (bukou) - knee
bukok - knuckle
bukut - to punch
bulan - month/moon
buleng - headgear/turban
buleng - overturn
bunga - flower
bukit - hill
bukut - punch
bukut - punch
buta - back
buto' (butok) – penis
buwau - flee
D
da - no
daa' (daak) - blood
daat – sea
dakan - coffin
dapur - kitchen
da’un - leaves
daya - landwards
deduhoh - porridge (also see bubur)
deloien - they
den (pronounce e as in err) - see
depa - arms length/width
dia' (diak) – good/healthy
dipa – snake
dipah - across
dua - two
dudai - to go out to sea (also see udai)
dudoh - thunder
dudug - to crash/knock (e.g. dudug kereta' a - to knock somebody's car)
dug - high tide
G
gai - distance
gak - location
gan – where
gasa’ (gasak) - food container
gatong - hang (also see bilong)
ged - to show off
gegan - sound the drums/gong
geramah - crab
gereja/grija - church
gila - mad
gumei - moustache
guwun - forest
I
Iblih - devil
ida’ (idak) - plenty
ien – that
iga’ (igak) - to wake a person up
ige’ (igek) - take
inan - there
ipin - mad/crazed
isa’ (isak) - toys
iseng - gills
ising - ring
ito – this
J
Ja - one
ja'at - bad/evil
jabai -with
jaban - toilet
jaga - to take care/to guard
jagut - beard
jahet - noose/
jaho’ (jahok) - loop trap
jaka' (jakak) - dock
jalo' (jalok) - plate
jalong - boat-like vessel for washing sago flour
jam – hour
jangai - to go landward
japan - just/fresh
jatong - heart
jawai - face/front
jela' (jelak) - tongue
jelakau – once
jeleb - naughty
jelet - diarrhoea
jeloh - to hand/pass
jemelai - a boy who has come of age
jengelah - slippery
jin – genie/spirit
ju’ai - westward
jume’ (jumek) - little/few (also see jumi’)
jumi’ (jumik) - little/few (also see jume’)
ju’ai - fore- wards
K
ka’au - you (singular)
kajih - finish (also see pajih)
kala - river mouth
kakan - dish
kanan - jar
kapei - shoulder
kapel - ship
keja'a – tortoise
kekelat - lightning
kelo - you (plural)
kelalaih - scold
keman - to eat
kena - can/avail/catch
kena'an - get/catch
kenakan - feed
kereja - work
keresi’ (keresik) - chair
kijeng - deer
kinan - eaten
kobod - cupboard
kukut – dig
kula’ - sexual intercourse
kulat - mushroom
kulup - crumple
kut - dig/rotten smell
kute' (kutek) - box
kuto' (kutok) - rude
kuyad – monkey
L
laa' (laak) - bright
la'an - forward
lada - chilli
lada sago' – pepper
lai - male
lakau - visit/trip/number of times
lakei - old
lau - day
lawaih - number of people
lawuih - exceeding
layen - giddy
lelah - tired
leliso (lelisou) - lightning (also see liso/kekelat)
lelo' (lelok) - chase
lemah - weak
lemari - cupboard
libah - token gift
likau - eyebrow
liko (likou) - country/motherland/homeland/origin/ethnicity/race
lilut - sleep soundly
ling - saliva
linga - ear
linga' (lingak) - calm seas
liyeng -light as opposed to heavy
lo’ (lok) - want
luba’ - race (luba’ alui - boat race)
luge’ (lugek) - to bend the head backwards to see
lu'ui - to swallow
luwah - loose
luwaih - wide/spacious/width
M
maap - lost
madam - rotten/stink
ma’eng - desire
ma’ep - weak
maho (mahou) - female
makiw - thin
makau - walk
malaih - lazy
malem - night
mane' (manek) - defecate
mapi' (mapik) - lame
mapun - to approach/visit
mata - eyes
mati’ (matik) - to make a ticking sound/to cause friction or quarrel between people
mebaha’ (mebahak) - to spread rumours
mebangoh - stink
mekat - to raise/rise
mekut - to emit a rotting smell (also see madam)
melalaih - angry
melo - we
meluwat - feel totally incense
memulit - pester
menaweng - door (also see benaweng)
menelabau - to inquire/to ask a girl’s hand in marriage
mengebawu - jealous
mengeliling - to surround
mengeling - loss of appetite
mengeng - afraid/fear
menyena - to sting
mepa’it - bitter
mesai - bloom/blossom
mese’ (e as in err) - bushy
mesegit - mosque
mesei - fat
metebe’ (metebek) - cracked/chipped
miga’ (migak) - to wake up
mija - table
minit - minute
mino (minou) - scold
misiw - very thin
miwe’ (miwek) - to throw/divorce (also see piwe’)
miya’ (miyak) - shy/shame
miyau - to lose
mubed - to tie
mubel - dumb
mujun – lips
mukun - mudskipper
muwau - confuse
muwe’ (e as in err) - tease
mupo' (mupok) - wash clothes/take leave
muyat – invite
N
naje’ (najek) - not thankful
nakan -
nase’ (nasek) - rice
neba’ (nebak) - use/topple/chop down
neh - afterwards
nya’em - water
nyabong - fore (deck)
nyagem - fist
nyip - gums (of the mouth)
nyipen - tooth
nyuwe’ (nyuwek) - aft
P
pa'a - hand
pa'at - chisel
pa'at - chisel
pade’ (pronounce e as in err) (silent k) - river prawns
pagem - to hold
pait – pipe (also see paip)
pa'it - stomach/abdomen
pahe’ (pahek) - betrothal gift
pajih - finish (also see kajih)
pakat - rank/death bed
paleg (pronounce e as in err) - wave
paman - to float away (see aman)
panau - fishing vessel (barong panau)
pangai - wind
panit - shark
panit - shark
panyong - sexual intercourse
pape' (papek) - square
pareng - long knife
paten – clot
pati’ (patik) - to make a ticking sound/to find fault
paya – when
paya' (payak) - prawns (also see udeng)
payun - swing/giddy (also see ayun)
payun - swing/giddy (also see ayun)
pebeg (pronounce e as in err) - to bow
pedeg - stuck/touch
pedeh - pain
peden - see
pedeng - sword
pedengah - tell
pekelo’ (pekelok) - to have an affair
pekena - to catch
pekeng - open/ajar
pela’ (pelak) - lie down
pelelo' (pelelok) - in a hurry
piked - cough
pipah - hit
pipei - cheek
piput - spit
piseng - pineapple
pit – remove
pitong - choose
piwe’ - to divorce
pule’ (pulek) - to go back/return/go home
pulit - grouse/complaint
pu’un - foot (of a tree)/tree/plants
pusing - turn
put - can (as in tin can)
puta' (putak) - vomit
puter – spin
puyan - stove
R
raja - king
rap - raid
rayet - citizen
ri’ (rik) (with silent k) - rake
ruked - joint (of rattan/bamboo)
S
sa’am - to bite with a snap (like a shark/crocodile)
sabah - fertile
saban - infected/spread
sabe’ (sabek) - to request
sabei - a long time ago
sabel - sauce
sago’ (sagok) - sago pellets
sago (sagou) - sexual intercourse
sakir - cup
sakul - hoe
saleh - shallow/low tide
salui - dug-out canoe
sangew - a go over to a neighbour or friend to ask for something
sap – police
sape’ (sapek) - cow/cattle
sase’ (sasek) - pity
sat - paint/ace (card game)
sating - metal cup
sawa - spouse
sayan - dirty/messy
se’ (sek) - ripe/cooked
se’ (with a silent k) - shell
- to place/put
seba’ai - leeward
seben - sexual intercourse (also see panyong, kula’, sagou)
sebut - mention
sei - meat/flesh/wet sago flour
seke’ (sekek) - strangle
selipa - slippers
selipe’ (selipek) - pillow
selipeng - to hang a piece of cloth (on the shoulder)
sengadei - a pity
sengane’ (senganek) - a waste
selau - right here
selelan - mirror, spectacles(glasses)
senapeng - gun
sepatu - shoes (also see kasut)
sesud - continuous
siau - chicken
sibo' (sibok) - noisy
sien - he/she
si'et - sago worm
sikut - corner
silau - search
silo' (silok) - shine the light on
sine' (sinek) - urine
sing – cat
sise’ (with a silent k) - to fill
siu - grasshopper (siu lajun)/praying mantis (siu dipa)
siwa’ (siwak) - rent
su’un - to carry
suab – morning
subeng - cleft/ cracked/earring
subet - to make
subi’ (subik) - saucer
subit - to tear
sule' (sulek) - hide
suleg - burn
suli' (sulik) - infected/spread
suloh - Landas/rainy season
sulud - comb
sului - slide/slip
sungai - river
suso (susou) - milk/nipple
susud – follow
suwad - reverse
suwa’ (suwak) - borrow
suwat - uproot
suwi’ (suwik) - raise the skirt
suwi’ (pronounce with a guttural/silent k ) - a sweet, dull sensation when massage
T
ta'an - bait
ta'ei – faeces
tagep - tough
tajau - jar
take’ (takek) - climb
talei - rope
talun - jungle
tengad - throat
tengo’ (tengok) - neck
ta'o – right
tap - palm of the hand (tap pa'a)/sole of the foot (tap budu')
tapel - herbal paste medicine applied to a woman's abdomen after birth
taper - slap
tapo' (tapok) - flood
tapo (tapou) - hat
tateg - stamp one’s foot
ta'un – year
te' (tek) (pronounce e as in err) - a cut/a piece
te' (tek) (pronounce e as in there) - undo as in stitches/remove as in nails
te' (tek) (with a silent k)– crybaby
teba - a well
tebawen - to ask
tebileng - famous/famed
tejau - hurl
telabau - to talk/discuss
telile’ (telilek) - living together without getting married
telilel - persist
telo (telou) - we/three
teluwaih - a girl who has come of age
tepikong - temple
teraweng - window
tibe’ (tibek) - to crack
tibo (tibou) - swing
tieng - pillar/post
tikuih – rat
tile’ (tilek) - show/expose
tileng – kind
tim - tin/team
timeng -
tipo (tipou) - grandfather/grandmother
titab - to cut and remove
tite’ (titek) - to chop/to cut
to (tou) - spirits
tu’a - ripen
tu’ai - oyster
tua - both
tua' (tuak) – uncle
tuba’ (tubak) - to cut a slope
tubo’ (tubok) - grow
tud (pronounce u as oo in boot) – to bend
tuga’ (tugak) - carry
tujo’ (tujok) - finger/toe
- tujo’ ayeng - thumb
- tujo’ po(u) – big toe,
tuked - climb
tukei - vagina
tukih - movie (also see wayeng)
tulei - dammar
tule’ (tulek)(silent k) - deaf
tule’ (tulek)(pronounce e as a as in take) - push/shove
tupi - hat
tut (pronounce u as oo in boot) - fart
tute' (tutek) - to cut
tute’ (with silent k) - to undo stitches
tuteg - to pound
tutui - to send/ to send off
tu'u - true/truth
tuwad - to go to a distant place
tuwep - owl
tuwui - to call
U.
ud - source of the river
udai - to go out to sea (also see dudai)
udeng - prawns (also see paya')
udong - nose
ugo’ (ugok) - stump
ulai – left
uled - worm
ulo (ulou) - head
ume' (umek) - small (also see umi')
umi' (umik) - small (also see ume')
umo' (umok) - ape
umut – mouse
useng - phlegm
uso’ (usok) - wash
uso’ (usouk) - chest/breast
usuih - to follow-up
W
wa' (wak) - one (wa' ien - that one)/thing
wab - leeward
wai - rattan
wat - blood vessel/tendon
wayeng - movie (also see tukih)
wei - hang out to dry
weng - hornet/dry
wud - edge of the clothes
wug - rub
wut – massage
Y
yaih - housefly eggs
yi' (yik) - yes
yun - there/yonder
