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pi is a particle used for grouping modifiers together.

How it works

By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it^[1]:

jan pona: good person
jan pona mute: many good people

pi marks the next word as a new head, which takes its own modifiers:

jan pi pona mute: very good person

pi needs to be followed by at least two content words: the new head and a modifier applying to it. If there would only be one word after it, you don't need the pi.

There is no way to "close" a pi phrase. Instead, modifiers that apply to the first word should be moved before the pi:

jan pi pana sona: knowledge-giving person (teacher)
jan ike pi pana sona: knowledge-giving bad person (bad teacher)

↑ Some analyze them as all applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.

Multiple pi

While not defined in pu, some speakers do use multiple pi in a single phrase. However, this carries a risk of ambiguity as to whether the second pi is contained within the first or not:

lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli: English much-knowledge book (is the book in English or is the knowledge about English?)

Using a single word between the pi does prevent the ambiguity, as a non-nested layout would contain an invalid single-word pi phrase. However, if you feel the need to stack this many modifiers, you might be better off rephrasing the phrase into a sentence:

kiwen pi soweli pi kute suli: big-eared animal rock
kiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute suli: this rock is like a big-eared animal
soweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen ni: a big-eared animal rules over this rock

pi and "of"

Some dictionaries define pi as the English word "of". This can be misleading, as not all instances of "of" translate into pi:

toki pi pona: language of good

It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it:

kala utala suli: fish of fighting of bigness

[1] Some analyze them as all applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+'''''pi''''' is a [[Particles|particle]] used for grouping [[Modifiers|modifiers]] together.
-{{Other license|ask|it was copied from ''[[ma pona pi toki pona]]''}}
+== How it works ==
-pi is a particle in toki pona.
+By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it<ref>Some analyze them as all applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>:
-It allows you to have modifiers be affected by other modifiers.
+:;jan pona
-==How it works==
+::good person
+:;jan pona mute
+::many good people
-pi is not of, it regroups modifiers.
+''pi'' marks the next word as a new head, which takes its own modifiers:
+;jan pi pona mute
-By default, when you have a string of content words, the way they modify each other is from left to right.
+:very good person
+''pi'' needs to be followed by at least two [[Content words|content words]]: the new head and a modifier applying to it. If there would only be one word after it, you don't need the ''pi''.
-<blockquote>tomo telo nasa = (tomo telo) nasa = strange (water-room) (may be strange restroom)</blockquote>
+There is no way to "close" a ''pi'' phrase. Instead, modifiers that apply to the first word should be moved before the ''pi'':
-But when you use pi, you can change the order of the parentheses a little bit
+:;jan pi pana sona
-<blockquote>tomo pi telo nasa = tomo (telo nasa) = (strange water) room </blockquote>
+::knowledge-giving person (teacher)
+:;jan ike pi pana sona
+::knowledge-giving bad person (bad teacher)
+<references/>
-Strange water is usually alcohol, so this usually means bar.
+== Multiple ''pi'' ==
-If there is only one word that comes after the pi, the pi should not be there, because it is not regrouping anything.
-After all, if pi meant of, the language of good would be toki pi pona, not toki pona.
+While not defined in ''[[pu]]'', some speakers do use multiple ''pi'' in a single phrase. However, this carries a risk of ambiguity as to whether the second ''pi'' is contained within the first or not:
-==Examples==
-poki kasi kule - (poki kasi) kule : a colorful vase
-poki pi kasi kule - poki (kasi kule) : a flower vase
+:;lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli
-jan pona mute - (jan pona) mute : lots of good people
+::English much-knowledge book (is the book in English or is the knowledge about English?)
-jan pi pona mute - jan (pona mute) : a very good person
+Using a single word between the ''pi'' does prevent the ambiguity, as a non-nested layout would contain an invalid single-word ''pi'' phrase. However, if you feel the need to stack this many modifiers, you might be better off rephrasing the phrase into a sentence:
-lipu mi tu - (lipu mi) tu : both of my books
-lipu pi mi tu - lipu (mi tu) : the book of both of us
+:;kiwen pi soweli pi kute suli
-akesi jan Kakamu - (akesi jan) Kakamu : the man-lizard Kakamu (a new superhero!)
+::big-eared animal rock
-akesi pi jan Kakamu - akesi (jan Kakamu) : Kakamu's lizard (not so exciting...)
+:;kiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute suli
+::this rock is like a big-eared animal
+:;soweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen ni
+::a big-eared animal rules over this rock
+== ''pi'' and "of" ==
+Some dictionaries define ''pi'' as the English word "of". This can be misleading, as not all instances of "of" translate into ''pi'':
+:;toki <del>pi</del> pona
+::language of good
+It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it:
+:;kala utala suli
+::fish of fighting of bigness
-sometimes the meaning is basically same with and without pi:
-insa uta mi - (insa uta) mi : my inside of the mouth
-insa pi uta mi - insa (uta mi) : the inside of my mouth
 [[Category:Particles]]