lukin

lukin
Pronunciation	/ˈlu.kin/ 🔊 🔊
Usage	2023: Core (99% ↗︎ )2022: Core (98%)
Book and era	nimi pu ("synonym" in pu)
Part of speech	Preverb, content word
Codepoint	󱤮 U+F192E

lukin is a core content word and preverb relating to vision.

Etymology

The word lukin is derived from Tok Pisin lukim, meaning "to see, to look at", itself from English look and the transitivizer suffix -im.

Semantic space

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The semantic space of lukin includes vision and seeing. This includes interacting with something by seeing, such as reading, watching, or observing. As a modifier it can be used to mean "visual".

The semantic space also includes eyes and other light-sensing organs. This is a synonym of the traditional meaning of oko.

As a preverb, it means to try, which is similar to the English phrase "looking to do something". The preverb sense of lukin is a synonym for that of alasa, "seeking to do something".

lukin and oko

Before pu, lukin and oko were not considered synonyms. lukin meant "look, see, visual" and oko meant "eye, ocular".

Since pu, it has become common to use lukin for both meanings, while other speakers continued to make the old traditional distinction. Even others have begun using oko for "look, see", making the two words almost fully synonymous.

pu

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

NOUN  eye
VERB  to look at, see, examine, observe, read, watch
PRE-VERB  to seek, look for, try to

ku

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

see⁵81–100% of respondents, observe⁵81–100% of respondents, look at⁵81–100% of respondents, sight⁵81–100% of respondents, gaze⁵81–100% of respondents, observation⁵81–100% of respondents, check⁴61–80% of respondents, view⁴61–80% of respondents, scan⁴61–80% of respondents, watch⁴61–80% of respondents, visual⁴61–80% of respondents, examine³41–60% of respondents, inspection³41–60% of respondents, vision³41–60% of respondents, notice³41–60% of respondents, surveillance³41–60% of respondents, attention³41–60% of respondents, appearance³41–60% of respondents, examination³41–60% of respondents, detect³41–60% of respondents, assess²21–40% of respondents, stare²21–40% of respondents, perception²21–40% of respondents, perceive²21–40% of respondents, try²21–40% of respondents, glance²21–40% of respondents, impression²21–40% of respondents, reading²21–40% of respondents, regard (v)²21–40% of respondents, apparent²21–40% of respondents, visible²21–40% of respondents, read²21–40% of respondents, seek²21–40% of respondents, eye²21–40% of respondents, investigation²21–40% of respondents, monitor²21–40% of respondents, encounter²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for lukin (󱤮) is a wide oval with a dot inside, depicting an eye as seen from the front. It is sometimes drawn as more of an almond shape that forms a corner at each end. Compare oko, which represents an eye from the side.

sitelen sitelen

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Related words

oko

Main article: oko

oko
Pronunciation	/ˈo.ko/ 🔊 🔊
Usage	2023: Uncommon44-category system, Common66-category system (57% ↘︎ )2022: Common (62%)
Book and era	nimi ku suli ("synonym" in pu)
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱥺 U+F197A

oko is an uncommon content word and pre-pu nimi ku suli relating to the eye. It was presented as a "synonym" of lukin in Toki Pona: The Language of Good.