ko

ko
Pronunciation	/ko/ 🔊 🔊
Usage	2023: Core (99% ↗︎ )2022: Core (98%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤜 U+F191C

ko is a core content word relating to semi-solid objects.

Etymology

The word ko is derived from Cantonese 膏 (Jyutping: gou¹), meaning "paste, cream".

Semantic space

The semantic space of ko includes semi-solid objects, such as pastes and powders, which consist of solid objects or particles, which do not resist change to its form. This covers many concepts that are expressed through multiple words in different languages.

Linguist lipamanka argues that ko covers all of these substances as the amount of moisture in them is independent to its semantic space.

jan li pali e poki tan ko　

jan li pali e poki tan ko.

People make pots out of clay.

pu

In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines ko as:

NOUN  clay, clinging form, dough, semi-solid, paste, powder

ku

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as ko:

goo⁵81–100% of respondents, semisolid⁵81–100% of respondents, paste⁴61–80% of respondents, powder⁴61–80% of respondents, clay³41–60% of respondents, sand²21–40% of respondents, dust²21–40% of respondents, substance²21–40% of respondents, cream²21–40% of respondents, dough²21–40% of respondents, mud²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for ko (󱤜) represents a lump of moldable material, or a splash of goo. It is drawn as a closed, blobby shape, and it does not have a fixed shape. It may be drawn in any way as long as it is recognizable. The most commonly used shapes are roughly similar to a five-pointed star.

Several fonts have support for multiple alternative versions of the glyph. The following example is from linja lipamanka:

ko ko1 ko2 ko3 ko4 ko5 ko6ko ko1 ko2 ko3 ko4 ko5 ko6

sitelen sitelen

The sitelen sitelen word glyph for ko (koko) is the same as the syllable glyph for "ko" (KOKO).

Further reading

• "ko" on lipu Linku
• "ko" on lipu Wikipesija
• "ko" on English Wiktionary