lili

lili
Pronunciation	/ˈli.li/
Usage	2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤨 U+F1928

lili is a core content word relating to smallness.

Etymology

The word lili is derived from Tok Pisin liklik ("small (quantity)").

Semantic space

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Other uses

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The semantic space of lili includes small things in several aspects, such as in relative size, quantity, length, weight, age, or importance.

kiwen lili li utala e noka mi

kiwen lili li utala e noka mi.

A pebble (lit.literal translation 'small rock') is irritating my foot.

jan lili li kama

jan lili li kama.

Few people showed up.

Its antonym in relation to quantity is mute ("a lot") and in relation to other aspects, it is suli ("big").

pu

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

ADJECTIVE  little, small, short; few; a bit; young

ku

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

small⁵81–100% of respondents, little⁵81–100% of respondents, slight⁵81–100% of respondents, short⁵81–100% of respondents, reduce⁵81–100% of respondents, junior⁵81–100% of respondents, slightly⁴61–80% of respondents, minimize⁴61–80% of respondents, narrow⁴61–80% of respondents, bit⁴61–80% of respondents, minor⁴61–80% of respondents, partly⁴61–80% of respondents, reduction⁴61–80% of respondents, brief⁴61–80% of respondents, young⁴61–80% of respondents, fewer³41–60% of respondents, less³41–60% of respondents, diminish³41–60% of respondents, tiny³41–60% of respondents, barely³41–60% of respondents, decrease³41–60% of respondents, minimal³41–60% of respondents, partially³41–60% of respondents, somewhat³41–60% of respondents, thin³41–60% of respondents, inch³41–60% of respondents, shallow³41–60% of respondents, subtle³41–60% of respondents, lightly³41–60% of respondents, kinda³41–60% of respondents, hardly²21–40% of respondents, partial²21–40% of respondents, tight²21–40% of respondents, particle²21–40% of respondents, mere²21–40% of respondents, mild²21–40% of respondents, ounce²21–40% of respondents, quarter²21–40% of respondents, gram²21–40% of respondents, shortage²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for lili (󱤨) is a V-shaped ideogram, drawn smaller than the glyph for suli.

sitelen sitelen

The sitelen sitelen word glyph for lili (lililili) depicts a bug, stylized as a small circle with wings.

Further reading

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