Shape words

"Objects" redirects here. For the grammatical term, see the Glossary.

Illustration of common shape words

Shape words, also often called object words or objects, are a set of words in Toki Pona that describe the shape of a physical thing, or objects that are shaped that way. These are sometimes considered difficult to translate, as most of them do not map neatly onto singular English words, making this an area where Toki Pona is more descriptive than English.

List of shape words

linja, lipu, palisa, and supa are widely considered shape words.

Of these, linja and palisa are mainly used to describe shape.

The word lipu is also used to refer to documents.

Things that are supa can come in any shape, with the only condition being that a horizontal support surface is included and considered important to the object in the current context. That is, a floor or flat ground is supa, but a chair is often also supa, despite only part of the object being a horizontal surface.

sinpin is sometimes also considered a shape word.

Nonstandard

The subject of this section is nonstandard and will not be understood by most speakers.

If you are a learner, this information will not help you speak the language. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the standard style, and to be informed and selective about which nonstandard styles you adopt.

Some nimi sin, including kiki and puwa, may also be shape words.